Activists condemned the suspension of Elchin Sadygov`s legal powers

Baku/07.07.23/Turan: Azerbaijani civil society activists have condemned the decision of the Presidium of the Bar Association to suspend the powers of lawyer Elchin Sadigov, specializing in human rights cases. Public activist, former political prisoner Ilkin Rustamzade noted that Sadigov was one of the few last lawyers defending human rights in the country.

"I condemn this step in his regard and demand that Elchin Sadygov be returned to the Bar Association!" Rustamzade wrote on his Facebook page.

Human rights activist and former political prisoner Anar Mammadli shares the opinion that the exclusion of Elchin Sadigov from the Bar Association is connected with his activities to protect human rights and freedoms.

"The persecution, suppression and suspension of independent lawyers from the practice of law indicates the absence of an independent judicial system in the country. The exclusion of Elchin Sadygov from the Bar Association for political reasons means that our country violates its obligations to the relevant international organizations of which it is a member and departs from the principles of the rule of law, legal assistance and independent advocacy. In such a system, the bar association plays a punitive role to punish independent lawyers. Therefore, this structure cannot be perceived as a reliable, independent and real organization of lawyers on any international platform, and should not be involved in cooperation. In the near future, all international institutions should cease cooperation with the Bar Association," Mammadli told the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot".

Mammadli believes that solidarity of all human rights lawyers of the country and consolidation of efforts to ensure the independence of the bar is necessary.

Lawyer Khalid Agaliyev considers the removal of Sadigov from the bar association an act of intimidation for lawyers working in the field of human rights. "Let's hope that in the near future this arbitrariness and lawlessness will be eliminated," he said.

On July 6, the Presidium of the Bar Association of Azerbaijan decided to suspend the advocacy of Elchin Sadigov. This structure intends to apply to the court for the complete termination of Sadygov's lawyer status and his exclusion from the collegium.

The reason for the suspension of Sadygov's activities was the appeal of journalist Eynulla Fatullayev.

In September last year on the website haqqin.az led by Fatullayev, an article was published in which it was claimed that Sadygov acted as an intermediary in transferring a bribe to the head of the YouTube channel Xural.tv Avaz Zeynalli in order to stop criticizing Mammadov.

However, Sadigov said that he only conveyed Zeynalli's request to stop negative publications about Mammadov.

Then Sadigov and Zeynalli were arrested. However, soon Sadygov was transferred to house arrest and his case was separated into a separate proceeding. The lawyer considers the decision to suspend his powers unlawful. In his opinion, Fatullayev was not an interested party in this case, because the board should not have considered his complaint. In addition, while the prosecutor's office is still investigating him, the board had no right to punish him. Sadygov considers the decision to punish him political and related to his publicizing the facts of illegal arrests and torture. ---06B---