ECHR Starts Consideration of 25 Complaints from Azerbaijan

Baku / 09.07.18 / Turan: The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has started considering complaints of 25 Azerbaijani citizens, the ECHR says. The applicants claim violations of the rights to a fair trial, property and worthy treatment.

One of the applicants is Yadigar Sadigov, one of the leaders of the Musavat Party. In 2014 he was imprisoned for 4 years. His lawyers dispute placing him in an iron cage in the courtroom, which is an act that degrades human dignity (Article 3 of the European Convention).

Yadigar Sadigov was arrested in June 2013. At the beginning of 2014 the Lankaran court sentenced him to 6 years imprisonment. Recognized as guilty of hooliganism, Sadigov was later pardoned by the President of the country.

Another case, considered by the European Court, concerns a resident of Baku Elnur Gadirov. In his complaint, he claims that the courts violated his right to a fair trial (Article 6 of the Convention - the right to a fair trial). Details of this complaint are not provided.

Another applicant from Azerbaijan is Tahir Kazimov, who claims in his complaint to the European Court that local courts violated his right to a fair trial. Details of this complaint are also not disclosed.

The European Court also began to consider complaints of 22 internally displaced persons who lost their homes as a result of the war with Armenia. The applicants are Ramiz Mammadov, Fuad Abdulov, Samad Abdulov, Ibrahim Aliyev, Fatima Aliyeva, Bayram Azizov, Kifayat Azizova, Khalig Bakhishov, Allahverdi Dolkhanov, Giyas Guliyev, Zaur Guliyev, Rahila Khadiyeva, Anvar Hasanov, Elshad Gumbatov, Kamil Huseynov, Talish Huseynov, Knyaz Mahmudov, Ahliyat Mammadov, Elnur Mammadov, Shakir Muradov, Amir Namazaliyev, and Vugar Namazaliyev.

All of them assert that after the occupation by the Armenian Armed Forces of their places of residence, they were forced to move to Baku and settle in self-built buildings. These houses in the middle of 2000 were demolished for the construction of stations for Baku Underground. The government paid compensation to all those resettled from the territory where the demolition was carried out, except the IDPs.

The IDPs argue that, by denying benefits to them, the government violated Article 1 (property law) of Protocol No. 1 of the European Convention, as well as Article 14 of the Convention (discrimination).

All the complaints contain a request to recognize violations and oblige the government of Azerbaijan to pay the moral and material damage caused.

The European Court sent the relevant questions to the Azerbaijani government. The questions have to be answered within three months. -0--