Azerbaijani NGO ADDIM condemns human rights violations, announces start of operation

A group of Azerbaijani activists and human rights defenders in the US, Europe, Eurasia and Azerbaijan itself, are announcing the creation of a human rights organization ADDIM to support the human rights movement in the country, Said Nuri, the organization’s chairman, told TURAN's Washington correspondent. 

ADDIM stands for Azerbaijani Democratic Development, Information and Monitoring Center. When translated from Azerbaijani ADDIM means “Step”, and the organization’s slogan is “Step forward to democratic future, step on corrupted past and step up for those harassed by the regime,” Nuri added.

“Through vast system of unlawful imprisonment the Azerbaijani government isolates, banishes, punishes and puts in prisons those suspected of being disloyal to the regime. Violation of basic human rights in Azerbaijan threatens the very foundations of a democratic society and represents a gross infringement of basic freedoms,” Nuri said, adding that up to 110 political activists, NGO, civil society, youth movement leaders, bloggers and journalists are being held in prison where they are subjected to malnutrition, torture and other cruel and unusual punishment.

Nuri, former political prisoner, who was recently deported from Azerbaijan and asked to never come back, said ADDIM was created because “Taking action is important right now more than ever.”

ADDIM will be working on a number of human rights projects in Azerbaijan, and will employ a range of advocacy methods, including legal and policy analysis, human rights trainings, public interest litigation, direct legal assistance to political prisoners and their families.

 

A.Raufoglu,

Washington, DC

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