ECHR declares illegal freezing of NGO bank accounts in Azerbaijan

Baku/16.02.23/Turan: On February 16, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued three decisions and one ruling on 21 applications from Azerbaijan, Khalid Agaliyev, head of the group for monitoring the verdicts of this structure, said.

In the case of "Ibrahimbekov and others v. Azerbaijan", the applicants were the late screenwriter Rustam Ibrahimbekov, Shohrat Ibrahimbekova and Lala Efendiyeva. They challenged the illegality of the liquidation of their property rights to the land plot at the request of the State Oil Company (SOCAR).

The ECHR considered that the applicants had not taken sufficient legal steps before the local courts to substantiate their rights to land property.

In the case of "Medjidli v. Azerbaijan", the ECHR found unlawful the arrest and sentence to 2 years in prison for participating in a peaceful protest on April 2, 2011 of a member of the Popular Front Party and decided to pay him compensation in the amount of 4,350 euros.

In the case of "Aynura Imranova and others v. Azerbaijan", the ECHR granted claims by 18 Azerbaijani civil society activists and NGOs for violation of their property rights, and in particular the unjustified freezing of bank accounts.

The ECHR ruled to pay to all applicants: Aynur Imranova, Gubad Ibadoglu, Elchin Abdullayev, Intigam Aliyev, Annagi Hajibeyli, Emin Huseynov, Zohrab Ismayilov, Rasul Jafarov, Gulnara Bagirova, Saadat Mehdiyeva, Ulviya Akhundova, as well as the Center for Economic Relations, the Center for National and International research, the Institute for Freedom and Safety of Reporters, the Society for Legal Education, the Association of Lawyers of Azerbaijan, the Union of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Public Association for Promoting a Free Economy, 3,000 euros for moral damage and 300 euros for reimbursement of court costs.

At the same time, the ECHR recognized the complaint of the Caucasus Media Investigation Center as inadmissible. ---06B---