Amnesty International compares Azerbaijan with Central Asian regimes

Amnesty International has published its latest report on the human rights situation in the world in 2016. The part relating to Azerbaijan says that in this country as well as in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have been  amended made amendments to the Constitution that  expand and increase the powers of the presidents. Azerbaijan continued repression against opposition activists, human rights organizations and independent media.

Despite the fact that 12 activists were released in 2016, many people, including the leader of the movement REAL Ilgar Mamedov, remain in prison.

A journalist Khadija Ismayilova and human rights defender Intigam Aliyev released from prison  are not allowed to leave the country.

According to local human rights activists, more than 100 people - youth representatives, journalists, opposition activists  have been imprisoned for their political views. Azerbaijani press particularly suffers from repression. Journalists face harassment, intimidation, physical pressure.

Amnesty International pointed out that the police and security forces repressed protests against the devaluation of the manat. Detainees are arrested and subjected to ill-treatment, torture.

Examples are the defendants in the "case of Nardaran" and "prisoners of the monument" (Bayram Mammadov and Gias Ibrahimov). Amnesty International representatives were not allowed to Azerbaijan.

The report also touches  the problems with rights of the Azerbaijanis in Iran, their discrimination, deprivation of civil and political rights, the absence of opportunity to receive education in their native language.-16D06-