Authorities Use Pandemic to Suppress Their Critics - NCDF

Baku /24.03.20 / Turan: The National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) issued a statement condemning the authorities for persecuting the opposition.

In particular, they recalled the arrests on trumped-up charges of a member of the NCDF Board Tofig Yagublu, the administrative arrest of an activist of the Jalilabad regional organization of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan Anar Melikov (allegedly for violating the epidemiological regime), and the administrative arrest of a member of the Muslim Unity Movement Samir Babayev.

These repressive measures followed immediately after Ilham Aliyev announced the possibility of a state of emergency against the backdrop of the Corona Virus pandemic and isolation of the opposition, whom he called the “fifth column”, “enemies” and “traitors”.

The statement emphasized the provocation against Yagublu, whose car was hit on March 22 by another car when he was in a parked state. Then Yagublu was attacked by people from another car.

Despite the fact that Yagublu himself called the police, he was detained and charged with art. 221.3 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code.

These arrests, the threat to another member of the NCDF, Fuad Gahramanli, and the call of other activists to the police indicate that the authorities are using the pandemic situation to suppress the opposition.

Thus, Ali Ahmedov, deputy chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party, published a post under the heading “Combating Two Viruses,” where he talks about the need to simultaneously fight against the Corona Virus and the opposition. This confirms that the repression order was given at the highest level.

The NCDF calls on the local and international community to show an adequate reaction to what is happening, not to allow the regime, "using the situation, to strengthen the dictatorship."

The statement called on the authorities to stop the repression and understand that such steps only increase the anger of the people.

“No threats or mass arrests can stop the people’s struggle for justice and freedom,” the report said. –06D-