Society Ready to Protect Bayramli

Baku / 27.05.17 / Turan: On Saturday, a public discussion took place on the case of the arrested deputy chairman of the Popular Front Party Gezal Bayramli, in which the leaders of the Popular Front, Musavat, National Council of Democratic Forces, public figures and journalists took part.

The human rights activist Ogtay Gulaliyev recalled that Bayramli was detained on the evening of May 25 at the entrance from Georgia and, according to the border service of Azerbaijan, "an unclaimed sum of 12 thousand US dollars" was found at her. A criminal case was opened under Article 206.1 (smuggling). The Sabail District Court on Friday night considered ​​a measure of restraint with respect to Bayramli in the form of arrest for three months.

According to Gulaliyev, Bayramli was monitored in Tbilisi. The reason for the arrest could be Bayramli's visit to the family of the surgeon Farman Jeyranov, who was arrested in Georgia this week, and whom the Azerbaijani authorities announced wanted.

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The PFPA chairman Ali Kerimli said the purpose of Bayramli's arrest is an attempt to compromise the PFPA and weaken the party. "The authorities should know that neither Bayramli, nor PFPA, nor the National Council will give up the struggle to establish democracy in Azerbaijan," he said.

Kerimli noted the authorities would not achieve anything by arresting Bayramli, just as they could not achieve anything by arresting Fouad Gahramanly, Seymour Hazi, and others.

Gezal Bayramli's arrest is regarded as torture, since the authorities know that she has recently undergone three operations, and during her detention her medicines were withdrawn and she was not given food for a day.

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The chairman of the Musavat party, Arif Hajili, said the arrest of Bayramli is a message to the entire democratic camp and in this situation Musavat along with all will seek her liberation and take part in the movement against the establishment of a dictatorship in Azerbaijan.

The expert Gubad Ibadoglu noted that, as an economist, he carefully studied the Customs Code and other relevant legal documents, and came to the conclusion that the charges are not valid and are of a political nature. He also noted that so far no one has been arrested on such charges.

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The head of the Institute of Peace and Democracy Leyla Yunus joined the discussion by Skype from the Netherlands. She stated she is in contact with various international organizations concerned about Bayramli"s arrest.

The Director of Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev called on Yunus to ask the Georgian human rights organizations and the Human Rights Ombudsman about the surveillance of representatives of Azerbaijani civil society in Georgia. He also called her to ask the Georgian customs, whether they registered currency at Gezal Bayramli in the amount indicated by the Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies.

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Various proposals were made to organize the protection of Gezal Bayramli and consolidate the opposition and civil society. In particular, it was offered to declare the Bayramli issue the number one issue at tomorrow's opposition rallies on the occasion of the Republic Day that will be held in the Baku suburban settlement of Novkhani. -0-