Human Rights Organization Condemns Brutal Crackdown on Rally Before Central Election Commission

Baku / 12.02.20 / Turan: The Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners issued a statement in which it strongly condemned the brutal crackdown on a peaceful protest against the rigging of parliamentary elections in front of the CEC on February 11.

“The action was peaceful. However, at about 9 p.m., the forces of the Rapid Response Regiment, without any reason, attacked those conducting a sit-down protest in front of the CEC building. More than 10 people, including journalists, were brutally beaten and injured. About 30 people were forced to board a bus and released only at midnight on the outskirts of the city,” said Elshan Hasanov, head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners.

According to him, the use of unnecessarily excessive force against participants in a peaceful protest rally, including women, is a gross violation of Azerbaijani legislation and contradicts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Such aggression against peaceful demonstrators is not acceptable in a democratic state, the statement goes on to say.

The Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners demanded an investigation into the actions of the police and punishment of those responsible.

At the same time, the organization notes that tough police actions against peaceful demonstrators became more frequent after the appointment of Vilayat Eyvazov to the post of head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in June 2019.

The Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners was established in October 2014 by a group of former “prisoners of conscience”.  —06D-