Baku/04.11.21/Turan: President Ilham Aliyev submitted to the Milli Majlis a draft law on amnesty on the occasion of November 8 - Victory Day. Who will be amnestied? Will it concern persons recognized as political prisoners by human rights organizations and arrested in connection with the "Terter case"?
A few days earlier, the military prosecutor of Azerbaijan, Khanlar Valiyev, told journalists in connection with the "Terter case" that torture was used against the servicemen, and many people were arrested for this fact. Could this statement be a harbinger of a new trial in connection with the "Terter case"? Is it possible to re-investigate this case?
Rufat Safarov, a human rights activist and co-founder of the human rights organization "Line of Defense", answers these questions in the "Difficult Question" program.
According to Safarov, we had high expectations and hopes regarding the upcoming amnesty, since it will be announced on the occasion of Victory Day. However, the articles of the draft law on amnesty indicate that it cannot be called the "Golden Amnesty", since it most likely will not affect people whose only fault is their political activity and opposition.
“I expected that the amnesty would affect the riot police, who were sentenced to life imprisonment and have been held in Gobustan prison for almost 30 years. Although these people committed a particularly grave crime by taking part in a military rebellion, however, 30 years in prison, in my opinion, is a sufficient punishment for people who, not sparing their stomachs, fought for their homeland, ”said the human rights activist. According to Safarov, if political prisoners remain in prison, then human rights activists will not be able to give a high assessment of this amnesty.
“Of course, in any case, we welcome this step, but I repeat, we cannot call it “golden”,” he stressed.
However, Safarov did not rule out that after the amnesty, the head of state could sign a pardon decree. Because today Azerbaijan is celebrating the first anniversary of its Victory, the liberation of Shusha and this is a truly national holiday.
As for those convicted in the Terter case, the human rights activist noted that these people are serving sentences on charges of committing grave and especially grave crimes. Therefore, human rights defenders do not expect the release of people who, in their opinion, were condemned unfairly and unreasonably. But, if at the level of the military prosecutor Khanlar Veliyev there was an admission that torture was used against the suspects (i.e., the testimony was beaten out by torture - Ed.), Then there is a hope that if these people are not amnestied, then it is possible will be pardoned by presidential decree. –0—
Difficult question
-
Recent developments hint at a nuanced shift in the dynamics between Azerbaijan and the Western world, characterized by a tempered tone in criticism and burgeoning diplomatic engagements. Yet, against this backdrop of diplomatic overtures, the persistence of arrests targeting civil society representatives and looming sanctions from the United States underscore the complexities that underpin Azerbaijan's relationship with the West.
-
Seçkilərin Monitorinqi və Demokratiyanın Tədrisi (SMDT) Mərkəzinin rəhbəri Anar Məmmədliyə qarşı Azərbaycan CM-in 206.3.2-ci (qaçaqmalçılıq, əvvəlcədən əlbir olan bir qrup şəxs tərəfindən törədildikdə) maddəsi ilə ittiham irəli sürülüb.
-
In the heart of Tbilisi, massive protests have erupted against the proposed "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" law, colloquially known as the "Russian law." The Georgian Parliament's move to adopt this legislation has sparked a fierce debate both domestically and internationally, highlighting deep-seated tensions about the direction of Georgia's foreign policy.
-
The recent resolution passed by the European Parliament condemning alleged human rights violations in Azerbaijan has sparked a sharp response from Azerbaijani authorities, who have dismissed the document as biased and politically motivated.
Leave a review