The sentencing of three civil society activists in Baku on 26 May is the latest in a worrying trend of pressure on civil society in Azerbaijan. This case follows the recent sentencing of NIDA youth activists and political opposition figures earlier this year, reads UK Foreign office and commonwealth office press release.
A Foreign Office Spokesperson said:
The Foreign Office is deeply disappointed by the sentencing of Anar Mammadli, Bashir Sulemanli and Elnur Mammadov to up to five and a half years in prison, following allegations of tax evasion, illegal business activities, and abuse of authority.
This case has highlighted once again the concerns felt by many about the selective application of the rule of law in Azerbaijan. Independent election monitors play an important role in promoting a democratic society and they should be allowed to conduct their work without fear of intimidation.
The UK calls on Azerbaijan to respect the principles of justice and reverse this worrying trend. -0-
Politics
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During the ongoing COP29 climate conference in Baku on November 14, a group of activists staged a protest condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The activists also denounced countries that supply oil and weapons to nations waging aggressive wars. The protest featured placards with slogans such as: "From fossil fuels to peace!", "End war crimes!", "Punish the aggressor!", and "Phase out fossil fuel use to achieve peace!" among others.
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The United States and the European Union, which tried to position themselves as mediators in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, have come up with nothing and merely copied Russia's ideas, distorting their essence in order to "hijack" the peace process for themselves. However, their true goal was to take control of the region, to insert themselves into it, and to push out Russia, as well as Iran and Türkiye, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated at a briefing on November 13.
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The body of Vera Agasyan, a 70-year-old Armenian woman who passed away on October 20 in Khankendi, remains unclaimed after 15 days, as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has not provided an explanation for the delay, according to Azerbaijani media reports.
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At the venue of the COP29 conference in Baku, a group of activists held a protest under the slogan ‘Pay up’.
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