No More Arrests for Bank Debts - Akram Hasanov

Baku / 10.10.17 / Turan: Azerbaijan is the only state in Europe where people can be arrested for debts to banks, the head of the company Anti-Collector, bank expert Akram Hasanov wrote on his Facebook page.

He noted that the European Court of Human Rights started communication on three complaints from Azerbaijan.

"The European Court has combined three cases into one communication: Vahid Kerimov's debt to Rabita Bank, Mubariz Bayramov's debt to Uni Bank and Mahir Abbasov, which owes money to another citizen," he said.

Hasanov said that in the complaint he pointed out violation of the first paragraph of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights ("Rights to a fair trial") and Article 4 of the Protocol ("No one can be deprived of freedom for failure to fulfill obligations only under one contract").

"The court gave the government of Azerbaijan time until January 16, 2018. The government will be redirected to me and I will have to comment on the government's opinion," Hasanov said.

He stressed that in this way next year the European Court will decide on this issue.

"Given the outright violation of the law, most likely our complaint will be granted and the state will have to pay compensation for the arrest in connection with the debt. It should be noted that so far the European Court has not taken such a decision, and unfortunately in this matter we will be the first. And guilty of this are unscrupulous judges, performance officials, and representatives of banks, who pressured them," the expert wrote.

Hasanov expressed hope that at least after this, arrests for debts will be stopped.

"The most important thing is that threats of arrest due to debt will become an inglorious page in history. After the European Court of Justice has its say, it will end. There is very little left," Hasanov said. -----71D--