Action in Defense of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Berlin

Baku / 10.09.17 / Turan: A group of political emigrants from Azerbaijan held an action of protest opposite the Azerbaijani embassy in Berlin under the slogan: ‘Congratulations on Holiday of Slavery!’ and demanded the release of all political prisoners.

The action was timed to the anniversary of the arrest of young activists Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov. Exactly one year ago they were detained after they had painted a monument to Heydar Aliyev in Baku with political slogans. Namely: ‘Congratulations on Holiday of Slavery!’ and ‘Down with System!’

The action was timed to the annual celebration of Flowers Holiday held by the authorities on May 10 on the birthday of Heydar Aliyev. This costly and senseless holiday was extremely irritating to the population of the country, which was indignant at such a thoughtless spending of budgetary funds - 50-60 million dollars each time.

Giyas and Bayram, however, were accused of drug trafficking and sentenced to 10 years of prison each.

Participants in the action in Berlin also demanded to punish the killers of the blogger Mehman Galandarov, who was killed in the Baku Detention Center on April 18. He had also been arrested on charges of drug trafficking immediately after the action of solidarity with Mammadov and Ibrahimov at the monument to Heydar Aliyev.

The picketers in Berlin also raised the portraits of the leader of the REAL movement Ilgar Mammadov, calling on the Azerbaijani authorities to release all political prisoners.

They also demanded the resignation of the chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Najmeddin Sadygov, accusing him of the fact that a large group of the staff of the armed forces of Azerbaijan worked for the reconnaissance of Armenia. -06D--