Human rights activists discuss with a representative of the State Department the situation with human rights

Baku/19.01.23/Turan: Mark Cameron, director of the Department of Caucasian Affairs and Regional Conflicts of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the US State Department, today met with a group of Azerbaijani activists, Rufat Safarov, the participant of the meeting, the executive director of the human rights organization "Defence Line" told Turan.  

According to him, during the meeting, the situation with human rights in Azerbaijan and issues of concern to civil society activists were discussed. Gender activist Gulnara Mehdiyeva, public activist Ulvi Hasanli and lawyer Agyl Laij also attended the meeting.

Safarov especially focused on the arrests of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and opposition politician Tofig Yagublu.

On January 18, Safarov and co-founder of the "Defense Line"  Zaur Akper discussed the human rights situation and the cases of Hajiyev and Yagublu also with the German Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ralf Horlemann.

* Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was detained on December 9 on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court. On the same day, the Khatai District Court arrested him for 1 month and 20 days.

On December 15, Hajiyev went on a hunger strike demanding his release from custody. On the evening of December 28, he ended his hunger strike after persistent appeals from members of the public and family members. However, on January 9, Hajiyev resumed his hunger strike, after the appeal court once again rejected his complaint about the arrest, and continues it to this day.

** Yagublu was detained on December 23 at a peaceful protest in defense of activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. On the same day, the court arrested him for 30 days on charges of insubordination to the police.

Since January 5, after Yagublu's appeal against his arrest was rejected, he went on a hunger strike. ---16В06---