The National Council of Democratic Forces condemns detention of Parviz Gouluzade and Mehman Huseynov

Baku/29.12.19/Turan: The National Council of Democratic Forces in its statement condemned  authorities of Azerbaijan for the new wave of repressions in the country.

“Despite İlham Aliyev’s reform statements and imitations, repression and torture machine still works. In the last few days, rapper Parviz Gouluzade nicknamed Paster was arrested by the Main Department of the Organized Crimes of Ministry of Internal Affairs notoriously known as “Bandotdel” and detained for 4 days there, then was sentenced to 30 days administrative arrest due to his irritating words in his songs, in particular his phrases in one of his songs criticizing Pasha Bank which belongs to the ruling family. Yesterday video blogger Mehman Huseynov was arrested at midnight in the city centre of Baku by police agents, taken to outskirts of Baku, was harshly beaten, insulted and abandoned there presumably due to his raising poster in front of the Ministry of Internal Affairs supporting Parviz Gouluzade (there is no official reason for Mehman Huseynov’s arrest) . Just these two facts suffice to come to such a conclusion that Aliyev regime has no intention for changes but still relies on the strict police regime”, - reads the statement.

 Though I.Aliyev replaced heads of the Presidential Administration and Ministry of Internal Affairs namely Ramiz Mehdiyev and Ramil Usubov who were the key figures in the ruling team, torture, coercion and repression still continues even more severely. On 19 October 2019, during and subsequent to the opposition protest action, lots of activists including the members of National Council of Democratic Forces, Ali Karimli, Tofig Yagublu and Ibrahim Ibrahimli were arrested and severely tortured. Finally, last night the most popular video-blogger of the country, Mehman Huseynov faced police violence and torture. 

Continuation of police violence and torture after the changes in the ruling team indicates that this policy directly comes from Aliyev himself and such inhuman treatments are committed under his orders.

The same words can be said with regard to the election administration in the context of the 23 December 2019 municipal elections. Despite the changes in the crucial administrative positions, municipal elections were held with mass falsification and police intervention. This is also another fact that election frauds are realized by the leadership of the country.

The National Council condemns these negative events happened recently and calls on the international community not to remain silent vis-a-vis Aliyev regime’s ongoing cruel policy.

The National Council demands again from the government to stop repression and violence against opposition, free-minded people and civil society and to ensure those who are responsible for the violence and torture to be punished.

The National Council calls on the international community to put sanctions against those who are responsible for unlawful arrests and torture, as well as those from the election administration bodies who play the main role in falsification of elections. Azerbaijani government should be forced to implement its international commitments.

The National Council calls on our people not to believe in authorities" reform stories, to get organized for essential changes and to unify in the peacful and durable struggle for democracy, says the statement. -0-