IPHR Urges Baku to Stop Pressure on Lawyers

Baku / 17.05.18 / Turan: The organization of the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) issued a statement expressing concern over the attacks, pressure and deprivation of licenses of lawyers defending human rights in Azerbaijan.

"The Azerbaijani government must ensure unhindered professional activity of lawyers, without fear of repression," the statement stresses.

IPHR recalls that on April 23 the Bar Association of Azerbaijan decided to temporarily suspend the licenses of the lawyers Asabali Mustafayev and Neymat Kerimli.

The decision was made on the complaint of the First Deputy Prosecutor General after the lawyers defended their defendants who were under pressure. We are talking about the Deputy Chairman of PFPA Gezal Bayramli and the journalist Afghan Mukhtarly accused of smuggling.

IPHR also reminds about the lawyers Fakhraddin Mehdiyev, Yalchin Imanov, Aslan Ismayilov, Muzaffar Bakhyshov and Alaif Hasanov, whose advocacy activities were terminated.

In November 2017, amendments were made to the laws of Azerbaijan, which restrict the representation in the courts of lawyers who are not members of the Bar Association. The organization considers these changes as a serious obstacle to the protection of rights, and emphasizes that they are contrary to international standards and international obligations of Azerbaijan.

"IPHR calls on the Azerbaijani government to ensure unhindered professional activity of all lawyers, without fear of possible repression," the document says.

Recall that a similar statement was made by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ). -0--