Baku / 02.04.20 / Turan: One of the major European parties, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), which has a faction in the European Parliament, expressed concern about the arrest of the opposition politician Tofig Yagublu in Azerbaijan.
The ALDE statement indicates that Yagublu was arrested a few days after the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated that while the government is decisively fighting against the spread of the Corona Virus, the “fifth column” is provoking, hinting at opposition representatives in this way.
Three days later, a prominent opposition politician and ardent critic of the government, Yagublu, was arrested on charges of hooliganism.
The ALDE statement draws attention to the fact that the former political prisoner Yagublu is a member of the Musavat party and a member of the opposition coalition of the National Council of Democratic Forces. He is a journalist that has often raised human rights issues in Azerbaijan.
Further, ALDE quotes a statement by the public committee for the protection of Yagublu’s rights created by the Musavat party: “At a time when the world community is focusing on the pandemic of the Corona Virus Covid 19, which poses a global threat to humanity, the government has stepped up further repressive measures against political opposition.”
Despite the fact that his own car was hit in the accident, it was Yagublu that was arrested.
ALDE also draws attention to the fact that the arrest of Yagublu was condemned by Human Rights Watch and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović.
“The ALDE party continues to closely monitor the situation. At its last congress in Athens in October 2019, the ALDE party reiterated its call for the release of all political prisoners in Azerbaijan,” ALDE said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the consideration of the appeal against Tofig Yagublu’s arrest is delayed under the pretext of restricting the activities of the judiciary as part of measures against the spread of COVID-19. It will take place no earlier than April 6, Yagublu’s daughter Nigar Hazi said. —06D-
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