On May 31, the Chairman of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights, Udo Bullmann, the head of the EP delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, Marina Kaljurand, and the EP's permanent rapporteur on Azerbaijan, Željana Zovko, issued a “Joint Statement on the unrelenting suppression of all forms of dissent in Azerbaijan.”
“We condemn the recent extension of the preliminary investigation against Dr. Gubad Ibadoglu beyond one year and his continued prosecution on trumped-up charges. We repeat the call of the European Parliament to the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately cease all charges brought against him and allow him to travel abroad to receive urgently needed medical care,” says the document published on the EP website.
MEPs also strongly condemned the “continued suppression of all critical voices and systematic abuses of justice in Azerbaijan.”
“The arrest of Anar Mammadli, a prominent human rights activist, head of the Center for Election Monitoring and Democracy Training and winner of the Council of Europe Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize, on April 29 on trumped-up charges of smuggling is another clear illustration of the relentless suppression of civil society and all dissent. This follows a large wave of arrests of journalists from the few remaining independent news outlets in Azerbaijan, including AbzasMedia, Kanal 13 and Toplum TV, and their detention on trumped-up charges,” the MEPs further noted.
They note with regret that “with about 300 political prisoners today, Azerbaijan is considered one of the most repressive countries in the world.”
“All political prisoners must be released and all politically motivated charges must be dropped immediately,” the statement from the three MPs further said.
“In light of the deteriorating situation,” they call on the EU High Representative and the EU Council, in accordance with the European Parliament resolutions of March 15, 2023, September 14, 2023 and April 25, 2024, to “impose sanctions on Azerbaijani officials involved in serious human rights violations.” .
Politics
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Key Biden administration officials involved in Georgia and Moldova policy will next week testify before the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs on U.S. policy in both countries ahead of their elections this October, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
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The United States said on Friday that it is in the process of publishing an annual Investment Climate Statement on Azerbaijan, a report which is widely used by both U.S. officials and investors to help make informed decisions about the business environment in a foreign country, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
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At the early elections to the Milli Majlis on September 1, 806 people applied to the district election commissions to become candidates for deputies, the head of this structure Mazahir Panahov told at today's meeting of the Central Election Commission (CEC). According to him, the nomination of 532 candidates has already been approved.
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The trial of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev continued in the Baku Serious Crimes Court on Friday. The court heard testimony from the secretary of the Yasamal district court session about the conflict between Hajiyev and the victim Ulviya Muradova (Alovlu) two years ago. He stated that Hajiyev and Muradova insulted each other, and Hajiyev hit her "several times".
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