Alliance "Azerbaijan without political prisoners" condemns latest arrests

Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without political prisoners" expressed concern about the new wave of arrests and pressure on civil society activists in recent weeks. In particular, the  Alliance noted the   arrest "on trumped-up charges" of a member of the PPFA Hijran Qasimov, the summon to the police his 74-year-old mother and wife, where they came under pressure due to the fact that they were protesting against the prosecution of activists.

The statement said the arrest of "on trumped-up charges of"  for illegal drug trade  by Senan  Dashdamirli, son functionary of the  PPFA Rafiq Dashdamirli, who actively participated in the last two meetings of the National Council. Alliance considers the arrest of a young man as a political revenge by the authorities to his father.

Administrative detention of  a human rights defender and  lawyer Elchin Namazov for 15 days, a search in his office and seizure of documents suggests that the lawyer is  persecuted for  protection of political prisoners.

The arrest on charges of fraud and falsification of documents  of a PPFA member, the  Karabakh war veterans Asif Yusifli is also politically motivated. The statements also expressed concern over the deteriorating health of human rights defenders Leyla Yunus, Intigam Aliyev, the leader of the "REAL" Ilgar Mamedov, deputy chairman of "Musavat" Tofig Yagublu, journalist Avaz Zeynalov, and  the attempts of the  prison service to hide  these problems.

The pressure on human rights activist Oktay Gyulalyev and his two minor sons by Baku policies also condemned.  The Alliance urges the authorities to put an end to the campaign of repression against activists, to solve the problems  of health  of the arrested activists, to provide them with medical care, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.—06D--