Baku Does Not Comply with Convention on Human Rights - Human Rights Defenders

Baku / 20.09.19 / Turan: The situation with ensuring fundamental freedoms and human rights in Azerbaijan is depressing: arbitrary arrests, torture, pressure on the media continue, while 117 political prisoners are still in prison. This is stated in the report of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners on the situation of human rights in Azerbaijan for the period from January 1 to September 20, 2019.

The country does not comply with the commitments made within the framework of the membership of the UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe.

"Throughout the year, arbitrary arrests of opposition activists were periodically conducted. More than 60 oppositionists were subjected to administrative arrests for 10 to 60 days. They are being arrested on "standard charges" - disobedience to the police and petty hooliganism. Some members of the Popular Front party have been arrested 2 or even three times," said Elshan Hasanov, head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners.

There are no positive changes either with the situation with freedom of expression and media. During the reporting period, journalist Polad Aslanov was arrested, and Ikram Rahimov, editor of the realliq.info website, was sentenced.

There are six journalists in prisons, including Afgan Mukhtarly.

Police used force in the performance of journalistic duties to the reporter of the Azadlig newspaper, Tazakhan Miralamli. The journalist Sevinj Osmangyzy was blackmailed.

"The blocking of websites continues, journalists are prohibited from filming in open trials, and many of them are not allowed to attend government events," Hasanov said.

The practice of torture in places of detention also continues. "In particular, the accused on the Ganja events were subjected to inhuman torture. The courts did not objectively examine the cases of these individuals. Their rights under Article 3 (prohibition of torture) and Article 6 (right to justice) of the European Convention were violated.

The investigative materials were compiled with violations; reliable evidence has not been collected. The investigation failed to identify the organizers of the rally in Ganja, and random passers-by were brought to justice.

31 persons involved in this case have already been recognized as political prisoners. About 30 more people are under the monitoring of the case," Hasanov said.

Article 9 "Freedom of thought, conscience and religion" is also violated. So, the police fixed serious obstacles for believers on the day of Ashura, and the undeclared state of emergency in Nardaran is still in force, the report says.

* The Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners was established in October 2014 by a group of former "prisoners of conscience". -06D--