Public activist Famil Khalilov, a first-degree disabled individual with paralyzed arms, was transferred to house arrest after spending seven months in prison. On December 3, the Baku Court on Grave Crimes granted a motion by his lawyers to this effect.
Yesterday, Rufat Safarov, the executive director of the human rights organization Line of Defense and a prominent human rights defender, was detained. The Ministry of Internal Affairs' press service stated that a conflict had arisen between Safarov and another individual regarding the purchase and sale of a plot of land. Safarov faces charges under Articles 178.3.2 (large-scale fraud) and 221.1 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code.
The developments were commented on in the program Difficult Question by Bashir Suleymanli, head of the Institute for Civil Rights.
According to Suleymanli, the charges against Famil Khalilov were fabricated. He asserts that Khalilov is being persecuted due to a social media post critical of the authorities. “This is not the first time individuals have been persecuted for criticism. We have repeatedly witnessed the criminal prosecution of citizens for critical statements against the authorities or active participation in public life,” Suleymanli stated.
“As a rule, public activists are falsely accused of drug trafficking or hooliganism,” he added.
Suleymanli also noted that Azerbaijani law prohibits the prosecution of first-degree disabled individuals.
Regarding the detention of Rufat Safarov, the expert said that the persecution of the human rights defender is directly linked to his public activities.
“The charges brought against him are fabricated and baseless. It is obvious that the accusations under Articles 178.3.2 (large-scale fraud) and 221.1 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code are based on an entirely fictional and contrived scenario. Recently, he has been persistently and consistently advocating for the release of political prisoners, which has provoked the anger of the authorities,” Suleymanli emphasized.
He also suggested that Safarov was detained at this particular time to prevent him from receiving a U.S. State Department award for his human rights activities.
Difficult question
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What should Azerbaijan expect from the new US administration?
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