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
The Observatory has called on its supporters to send letters demanding the release of the activist to the President, Prosecutor General, Minister of Justice, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
In addition, it is proposed to send appeals to Azerbaijani ambassadors in various countries.
“The arrest of Rufat Safarov is clearly politically motivated and is widely seen as an act of retaliation for his human rights work,” the petition says.
It should be recalled that Safarov’s arrest occurred immediately after he visited the US Embassy in Baku to obtain a visa to travel to the United States to receive the 2024 US Secretary of State Human Rights Defender Award.”
Due to his arrest, Safarov was awarded in absentia.
The authors of the petition strongly condemn the arbitrary detention, arrest and prosecution of Safarov and consider these actions "a blatant attempt to silence leading activists for human rights, justice and accountability in Azerbaijan."
The Observatory calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Safarov and drop all charges against him and other human rights defenders arrested in the country.
*Safarov was detained on December 3. He was charged under three articles of the Criminal Code - 178.3.2 (fraud committed with causing major damage), 221.1 (hooliganism) and 127.2.3. (intentional causing of less serious harm to health, in a generally dangerous way or out of hooligan motives).
Safarov denied the charges and stated that he was being persecuted for his human rights activities and the award of the US State Department award. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner.
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