National Council condemns repression against opposition

Baku/26.05.20/Turan: Law enforcement agencies intensify repression against political opponents, according to statements by Ilham Aliyev of March 19 and April 14, inciting hatred against the opposition, reads a statement on May 26 by the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF). Authorities use quarantine measures as an opportunity for total pressure and harassment of political opponents and dissidents. Three days after Aliyev’s first appearance, Tofig Yagublu, a member of the NSDS and the Musavat party, was arrested.

In the following days, members of the Movement for Democracy and Welfare, Vafadar Aliyev and Shakir Mammadli, activists of the Movement of Muslim Unity Samir Babaev and Hikmet Agayev, public activists Elshan Babaev and Sardar Gubadsoy,  were arrested from 15 to 30 days. Journalists   Natig Isbatov, Mirsahib Rahiloglu, Ibrahim Vezirov and Ismail Islamoglu were also arrested. A lawsuit was filed  against journalist Elchin Mammad.

Unprecedented cyberattacks have been committed against NCDF. Secret services were illegally introduced and recorded an online conference of NCDF members in the ZOOM social network, and then published excerpts of it on the Internet. These materials were used for the slanderous campaign against the NCDF in social networks, tabloids and even on television channels.  “There is no doubt that the main goal of hate speech and a new wave of repression was the Popular Front Party and its leader Ali Karimli,” the statement said.

From April 13-14, he was denied access to the Internet. “The purpose of this absurd persecution is to deprive the leader of the most massive opposition organization of communication with society, the outside world and block his political activities. Ali Karimli has been under an Internet blockade for more than 40 days,” the NSDS said in a statement. Those who visit Karimli are also subjected to persecution, including even the television master Jeyhun Majidov, who was arrested for 30 days. PFPA activists Faik Amirli, Ruslan Amirov, Nijat Abdullazade, Baba Suleymanov, Niyameddin Ahmedov, Arif Babayev, Shamsi Gahramanov, Elvin Mammadov, Aliaga Mammadov, Elkhan Aliyev and Ramid Nagiyev were arrested for 30 days of false charges. Another activist of the Popular Front Party Agul Humbatov is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital. Judge Samir Talibov, who released him from the hospital, lost his job, and Humbatov was again imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital.

A lawsuit was filed against Sayid Mammadzadeh  against the PFPA activist, European champion in fights without rules, after he urged citizens to fight for their rights and join the PFPA.

PFPA activist Niyameddin Ahmedov was arrested for 30 days after he brought food to Ali Karimli’s apartment. He was subjected to sophisticated torture in order to extort evidence against Karimli. Unable to achieve what he wanted, the police accused him of financing terrorism, ultimately trying to throw the leader Karimli himself into prison.

Undoubtedly, the charges of financing terrorism against the National Council and the Popular Front are aimed at disrupting the peaceful, constitutional struggle against the ruling regime. “The actions of the authorities only emphasize how the ruling despotism in Azerbaijan exposes the peaceful and secular opposition to moral terror,” the statement concluded. —06D-