The U.S. representative to the OSCE criticizes the persecution of activists in Azerbaijan

Political Counselor of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE, Christopher Robinson, on January 23 at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, expressed concern about the conviction in Azerbaijan to 6-year-prison punishment  an opposition activist Yadigar Sadigov.

"The United States is concerned  with the court verdict in Azerbaijan  on 23 January of imprisonment on charges of hooliganism, Yadigar Sadigov. Mr. Sadigov was a political activist and advisor to the head of the opposition party "Musavat". He was arrested in June 2013 before the start of the election campaign of the presidential election on October 9," said Robinson.

The arrest and subsequent conviction of  Sadigov is  another fact in a series of alarm events involving civil society and political pluralism in Azerbaijan. "We continue to closely monitor the investigation of the case against Anar Mammadov, the head of the Election Monitoring and Democratic Studies Center (EMDS) and NGO "International Cooperation Volunteers" , allegedly accused of illegal business and tax evasion. We have previously expressed our concerns to the Permanent Council that detention of Mr.Mammadov was associated with his organization monitoring the elections. We also continue to closely monitor and encourage investigation, and provide appropriate legal procedures in cases against the leader of the "Republican Alternative" Ilgar Mammadov and deputy chairman of "Musavat", Tofig Yagublu arrested for incitement Ismailly residents to protest peacefully, and against youth activists NIDA, who were arrested during a protest against the non-combat deaths in the army," said further Robinson.

He also repeated the U.S. call for the Azerbaijani government to fulfill  their OSCE commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law , including ensuring transparency and fairness in litigation.

The United States also call on President Ilham Aliyev not to approve recently adopted restrictive amendments to NGO legislation, and in accordance with the call of the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Maina Kiai, identify opportunities for bringing them in line with international standards and obligations to OSCE.

Robinson's statement  has been posted on the website of the U.S. Mission OSCE. -06D—