Nation Council demanded an end to repressions: ‘’ Turn back from the wrong path!’’

The National Council, has released a statement regarding the ever escalating repressions. The statement lists the latest politically motivated arrests and includes a demand for the end of repressive acts. The following is the National Council’s statement;
‘’Azerbaijan is clearly pulled towards monarchy by Ilham Aliyev, who continues to escalate the repression in the country. The arrests and harassment of opposition activists, public figures and their family members, has taken a more intensive turn.
In February alone, under these political motives 16 individuals were sentenced to an administrative detention, and 2 others now face criminal charges and are currently in pre-trial detention.

The two individuals charged with crime, and that are currently detained in pre-trial detention are; 1) a member of the higher council of the Popular Front party of Azerbaijan , and a journalist/editor of ‘’www.kent.info’’ website – Elcin Ismayilli and 2) The Imam of a mosque in Masalli, member of the Azerbaijan’s clerical council, and the chief editor of the ‘’ www.maide.az’’ website- Serdar Hajihasanli.

Elcin Ismayilli has been sentenced to 24 days of pre-trial detention by the Nasimi district court. His family maintains that this is a political hit, and that he was arrested following the order by the head of the Ismayilli district executive authority. This follows his anti-corruption investigative activities in the Ismayilli district. Elcin Ismayilli was known for discovering the acts of corruption and illegality.

Serdar Hasanli was sentenced to 37 days of pre-trial detention on 22nd of February, by the Masalli District court order. Two days later, 15 religious activists protesting his arrest were detained, and 4 of them received administrative detention sentences ranging from 10 to 25 days. Others were freed after being subjected to fines. Those later released described facing torture and inhuman treatment at the police station.

Of those sentenced to an administrative detention, 7 are members of The Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan 1 is a member of REAL movement, 1 from D18 movement , 1 from the Musavat Party, 4 religious activists from Masalli, and 2 are relatives of the Azerbaijani expat and a political activist, Ordukhan Temurkhan.

It is worth noting that the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), once again bears the brunt of the latest wave of repression. Up until the latest arrests, 11 members of the PFPA were political prisoners and were detained unlawfully as hostages. Now, 2 more members are facing criminal charges whilst awaiting the trial at pre-trial detentions. One of these latest victims of repression, is as we mentioned above a journalist -Elcin Ismayilli. The other is the youth activist of PFPA’s Neftchala district, Elnur Farajov.
Elnur Farajov was detained in December 2016. He was charged with the (traditionally utilized by the regime) drug possession crime. He currently serves a 3 months pre-trial detention. For personal reasons, his family refused to publicize the issue, and the party leadership was only recently notified of this political arrest. It is of course, beyond any reasonable doubt that the arrest of Elnur Farajov is a direct consequence of his political opinion and activity. He was, on numerous previous occasions sentenced to administrative detentions as a result of his political activity.

As of now, PFPA has 13 political prisoners. In addition to these 13 members facing criminal charges, in February alone additional 7 were sentenced to administrative detentions.
Below is the full list of those arrested on both criminal charges and administrative offences, as a result of the latest wave of repression;

1. Elcin İsmayıllı – Member of the PFPA (Ismayilli district branch) higher council. Date of arrest: 18 February. Sentence: 24 days of pre-trial detention.
2. Elnur Farajov – member and an activist of the PFPA (Neftchala district branch). Date of arrest: December, 2016. Sentence: 3 months of pre-trial detention.
3. İslam Hasanov – Chairman of the PFPA Shaki district branch .Date of Arrest: February 7, 2017. Sentence: 25 days of administrative detention.
4. Samir Hasanov – member of the PFPA youth committee (Shaki district branch). Date of Arrest: February 8, 2017. Sentence: 20 days of administrative detention.
5. Taleh İsakov – member of the PFPA (Sumqayit city branch),has a disability.Date of Arrest: February 8, 2017. Sentence:15 days of administrative detention.
6. Amil Mammadzadə – member of the PFPA (Surakhani district activist). Date of Arrest: February 20, 2017. Sentence: 30 days of administrative detention.
7. Farasat Ahmadov –member of the PFPA (Masalli district activist).Date of arrest: February 20, 2017. Sentence: 30 days of administrative detention.
8. Elvin Bahramov – member of the PFPA (Masalli district activist). Date of arrest: February 20, 2017. Sentence: 30 days of administrative detention.
9. Vasif Muzaffarov –member of the PFPA (Khatai district activist).Date of arrest: February 23, 2017. Sentence: 30 of administrative detention.
10. Rahim Shalıyev – member of the REAL movement.Date of arrest;February 20, 2017.Sentence: 30 administrative detention.
11. Qadir Aghakishiyev – member of the D18 movement. Date of arrest: February 20, 2017. Sentence: 30 days administrative detention.
12. Yusif Qarayev – member of the Musavat party (Shaki district).Date of arrest: February 24, 2017. Sentence: 25 days of detention.
13. Khanlar Dadashov –relative of Ordukhan Teymurkhan. Date of arrest: February 20, 2017. Sentence: 30 days of administrative detention.
14. Sabuhi Zeynalov –relative of Ordukhan Teymurkhan. Date of arrest: February 20, 2017. Sentence: 30 days of administrative detention.
15. Sardar Hacıhasanli – member of the Clerical society of Azerbaijan, editor of ‘’maide.az’’ Imam of Masalli city mosque. Date of arrest: February 22, 2017. Sentence : 37 days of pre-trial detention.
16. Mahammad Habibov – member of the Masalli religious community. Date of arrest: February 24, 2017. Sentence: 25 days of administrative detention.
17. Salman Rahimov –member of the Masalli religious community. February 24, 2017. Sentence: 15 days of administrative detention.
18. Fizuli Shahhuseynov – member of the Masalli religious community. February 24, 2017. Sentence: 15 days of administrative detention.
19. İmadaddin Maharramov – member of the Masalli religious community. Date of arrest: February 24, 2017. Sentence: 10 days of administrative detention.

There are reports that the member of the REAL movement who was sentenced to an administrative detention, was also subjected to torture and inhuman treatment. Rahim Shaliyev, in his conversation with his lawyer, describes in detail the cruelty, beatings and psychological harassment that he was subjected to by the Sumqayit city police. The details of these cruelties were widely reported by the media.

There are also credible reports that considerably more activists are currently in detention, yet they refuse to publicize the issue due to threats against their families- they are protecting their families from also getting harassed or arrested.

Ilham Aliyev turns the practice of silencing the activists by threatening the family members of activists into a common practice. Furthermore, these transgressions are not only illegal but also violate the traditional and very well established honor codes of our society- Ilham Aliyev targets the female family members of activists , by threatening and scaring them. There were two such incidents in February.

The first incident involved an Azerbaijani expat activist blogger Ordukhan Teymurkhan. A serious indignity was committed against his family members. On 18th February 2017, the Surakhani district police detained Ordukhan’s 12 family members, including: 1) his 2 sisters and 2) his 2 year old niece! Some family members were tortured, and were told that these cruelties would only cease together with Ordukhan’s political activities. With an intent of putting him under an intensive psychological pressure, the police officers called Ordukhan on his mobile phone and let his sisters speak to him. Ordukhan later publicized the recorded telephone conversation. There was a significant public backlash against such an indignity perpetrated by the law enforcement officers. Only under an intense public pressure, did the police agree to release his sisters and his 2 year old niece, as well as few other relatives. Nevertheless, in return for this backtracking, authorities decided to detain two brothers of Ordukhan. Under a clearly fraudulent charge of ‘’resisting the lawful commands of the police’’ both were sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention.

A tactic of similar nature was used against an activist of the Shaki district branch of the PFPA, Rauf Abdurrahmanov. His sister Gultakin Haciyeva, who currently resides in Baku, was harassed by anonymous individuals, who for the duration of 2 months have been calling her on her phone using an anonymous number, and leaving cruel messages of intimidation. Her complaints to the police were unsurprisingly unanswered. This ongoing campaign of harassment pushed Gunel Haciyeva to the brink of suicide. Luckily, her son’s return from school, intervened with the planned suicide. Since the family wanted to hide these events from Rauf Abdurrahmanov, this incident was only publicized at a much later date.

Taking into consideration all of the aforementioned facts, the National Council declares that the Aliyev regime’s attacks on our society have lately taken a more ugly and uncivilized form. The National Council calls on the authorities to stop this wave of terror perpetrated against peaceful citizens. The National Council demands an immediate release of all unjustly jailed citizens, the prompt investigation and punishment of those responsible for torture of Rauf Shaliyev, and of the relatives of Ordukhan Teymurkhan, as well as the individuals behind the ugly campaign of harassment against the sister of Rauf Abdurahhamanov, which almost resulted in a tragic suicide.

The National Council is clear that these acts of brutality and cruelty, are pathetic and desperate attempts at regaining power of a completely discredited regime, that lost all its social support and respect amongst the population, as a result of the sheer incompetent governance that resulted in the political and economic calamity.

This is of course very worrying, and promises only threat to our society and certainly to the regime itself. The recent surge in the widespread use of such medieval, uncivilized tactics in setting a new parameter of relationship with the society, will inevitably lead to destructive and tragic consequences. The current leadership of the ruling regime, will of course pay the highest price for these chaotic consequences. History provides a large archive of relevant precedents to prove the accuracy of this judgment.

The National Council reminds Ilham Aliyev personally, as well as his team, that at the time when not everything is lost, when reversal is still possible, he should turn back from this path, from this way of governance, and end the systematic government controlled and centrally implemented campaign of terror and cruelty. Ilham Aliyev, must end all political repressions, and allow the opposition to act freely. Ilham Aliyev, must guarantee the freedom of expression and media, and release all political prisoners. Only by doing this, can he prevent the calamity that awaits our country. Ending state repression and engaging in political reform, will also enable him to insure himself personally from dangerous consequences, that usually await dictators. Iham Aliyev and his team, must finally recognize and accept the duty that they owe to Azerbaijan and its people.’’