The human rights organization Human Rights Watch issued a statement on Monday, which says the use by the Azerbaijani authorities of trumped-up charges of drug possession, to silence political activists.
In particular, the statement indicated the criminal case against four activists, who criticized the government - three of them were subjected to physical pressure during police custody.
"In fact, criminal charges against activists, who criticize the government, is not a new phenomenon in Azerbaijan. However, recent events are an integral part of the growing pressure on government critics ahead of the presidential election. The arrests and beatings are a strong signal," said HRW senior expert on the South Caucasus Giorgi Gogia.
HRW called on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately launch an impartial investigation into the ill-treatment in places of detention and to release the detained activists.
Over the past two years the government of Azerbaijan has arrested dozens of activists, journalists and human rights activists on dubious charges not based on any evidence. Against them, they put forward various charges, including illegal possession of weapons, disorderly conduct and disturbing peace.
In the period from August 2011 to May 2012, on trumped-up charges of drug possession there were arrested at least five journalists and human rights defenders.
HRW has collected detailed information on the four recently arrested activists from their lawyers and parents. This is a 31 year old blogger Rashad Ramazanov (Reshad Hagigat Agaaddin), 29-year-old theologian Taleh Bagirov, 22-year-old youth activist of PPFA Dashgin Melikov and 21-year-old activist of NIDA Mahammad Azizov.
Despite the advancement of charges of drug possession, the police questioned them about politics. After the detention the accused were not given a meeting with their lawyers and physical pressure was exerted on them.
Attached to the application is information about the details of inhuman treatment of detainees, made up from the words of their lawyers and relatives. -06D -
Politics
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