Leader of PPFA visited Famil Khalilov, a prisoner who is on a hunger strike
On August 20, Ali Karimli, the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PPFA), visited the family of Famil Khalilov, who has been on a hunger strike for six days in protest of his "unlawful arrest." "Famil Khalilov's young children are deeply traumatized by the sight of their father being arrested before their eyes. The situation is unbearable. Even his cellmates have refused to care for him anymore.
The Azerbaijani authorities must put an end to this cruelty towards Famil Khalilov. We, as a nation, must demand that the authorities stop this inhumane oppression and release Famil Khalilov," Karimli wrote on his Facebook page.
Khalilov, who was detained on May 2, has been charged under Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code (manufacturing, transportation, or storage of large quantities of narcotics with intent to sell) which provides for a prison sentence of 5 to 12 years. He has been sentenced to four months of imprisonment. However, the real reason for his arrest is believed to be his criticism of the government on social media.
Politics
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The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OPHRD), a joint program of the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has called for the urgent release of activist Rufat Safarov from prison in Azerbaijan. It has launched a campaign in support of the Azerbaijani human rights defender. https://www.omct.org/en/resources/urgent-interventions/arbitrary-detention-and-judicial-harassment-against-rufat-safarov
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This year, the laureate of the annual Nargiz Prize, awarded for efforts in the fight for democracy, was Akif Gurbanov, chairman of the board of the Resplatforma (Platform of the III Republic) movement, who is under arrest.
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The U.S. will prohibit the issuing of visas for nearly a dozen more individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia, bringing the total number to over 100, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
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The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has expressed condolences to the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, following the tragic incident in the city of Magdeburg. "We are deeply shocked by the news of the deaths and injuries resulting from the tragic incident that took place at the Christmas market in Magdeburg," the message reads.
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