Activists demand an end to violence against government critics

Baku/27.04.22/Turan: A large group of representatives of civil society in Azerbaijan issued an appeal in which they called on the country's authorities to stop the practice of physical violence against their critics.

"We, the signatories below, appeal to the government, the Azerbaijani people and the democratic world community, being seriously concerned about torture and violence in Azerbaijan," the appeal says.

The practice of punishing social and political activists who are not pleasing to the authorities is carried out by physical violence by law enforcement agencies (often the police), or by kidnapping by unknown persons. These criminal acts do not entail legal consequences.

Another such crime shocked civil society on April 21 against social activist Bahtiyar Hajiyev. He was actually kidnapped, kept in an unknown place, where he was threatened, insulted and humiliated for his critical remarks about the Minister of Internal Affairs Vilayat Eyvazov, the appeal says.

The authors of the message recall that in the past, PFPA leader Ali Karimli, a member of the National Council and the Musavat party Tofik Yagublu, and the late independent deputy Ibrahim Ibrahimli were subjected to physical pressure in this way.

“We, representatives of civil society, call on the political leadership of the country to stop physical violence and torture against their critics. If the authorities and official structures are not behind these actions, as they claim, then it is necessary to answer the question why the perpetrators of these crimes have not been found and brought to justice,” the appeal further notes.

The Azerbaijani government must finally come to terms with the presence in the country of real opposition and civil society, independent media, respect fundamental rights and freedoms, and abandon violence and repression as a political tool, the authors of the appeal believe.

"We also call on the democratic world community to take effective measures to eliminate violence and repression from Azerbaijani politics," the appeal further notes. The authors of the message state that the international community takes a contemplative position, cooperating with the government of Azerbaijan.

“The global democratic community must show that it is ready to defend its values ​​and principles in Azerbaijan and demand that the Azerbaijani government build relations with society in accordance with its obligations to the world.

We call on the Azerbaijani people to take an active civic stand and be more organized in order to take a place among the free and democratic countries of the world,”  reads the appeal signed by more than 70 activists. -06B-