PACE rapporteurs deeply concerned by the detention of Anar Mammadli
Lise Christoffersen (Norway, SOC) and Ian Liddell-Grainger (United Kingdom, EC/DA), Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteurs for the monitoring of Azerbaijan, and Hannah Bardell (United Kingdom, NR), PACE rapporteur on “Threats to life and safety of journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan”, have expressed deep concern over the detention of Azerbaijani civil society leader Anar Mammadli.
“Mr Mammadli is one of the founders of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre, which carries out independent election monitoring in Azerbaijan. In September 2014 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe awarded him the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize,” the rapporteurs said.
“Mr Mammadli has previously been persecuted for his human rights work. He was detained in December 2013 and subsequently convicted on a series of trumped-up charges. The European Court of Human Rights held that Mr Mammadli had been prosecuted only in order to silence and punish him for his election monitoring activities. After 2.5 years in prison, he was pardoned in March 2016,” they added.
“We are deeply concerned that Mr Mammadli has been detained once again. His lawyer has stated that the detention is in connection with a case against several journalists of Abzas Media, which is widely viewed by independent civil society as being politically motivated. We urge the Azerbaijani authorities to review this case immediately and ensure that Mr Mammadli is not subjected to criminal prosecution as a result of his valuable human rights work,” the rapporteurs concluded.
Politics
-
Imran Gurbanov, a local activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) has been detained in the Sharur district of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), the head of the Nakhchivan regional PFPA organization, Yashar Bagirsoy told Turan.
-
On Tuesday, May 21, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov had a telephone conversation with Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Bayramov expressed his deep condolences over the deaths of the president, Foreign Minister and other officials of Iran as a result of the helicopter crash.
-
On May 21, the Sabail District Court of Baku extended the term of pre-trial detention of Aziz Orujev, head of “Kanal 13” Internet television, and Shamo Eminov, an employee of this media structure, for another month, relatives of journalists told Turan. According to them, appeals will be filed against the court's decisions.
-
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called his last meeting with Iranian President Seyed Ibrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash, "historic." "Our joint participation in the opening of a major infrastructure project on the state border was evidence of the strength of Iranian-Azerbaijani relations. It was a completely open message to both our peoples and the whole world that we are friends, brothers, and will continue to be together. The official statement of the late President Raisi and my official statement made after the opening ceremony had a very serious political significance. Both presidents openly stated that the countries located in the region should actively participate in its further development," Aliyev said today during a visit to the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan to express condolences over the death of Raisi.
Leave a review