"Isakhan Ashurov" prize is awarded the prisoner Yadigar Sadigov

Yadigar Sadigov ,  the adviser to the head of  the "Musavat"  party,  who is  in prison  has been awarded "Isakhan Ashurov" prize.

This award named after a prominent lawyer and public figure Isakhan Ashurov  was established  by the Institute of Peace and Democracy (IPD ) and is  awarded lawyers, military and citizens actively protecting  human rights and the rule of law. Sadigov became the second winner of the award Isakhan Ashurov. Last year,  the award was presented to the  chief editor of "Tolyshi Sado" Hilal Mamedov.

The Director of the IMD, Leyla Yunus noted with regret that second time the  prize is awarded  to imprisoned, and she  expressed a hope that the time will come when the award will be given to those who are not in prison.

Yadigar Sadigov was arrested  on June 27, 2013 on the complaint of a local resident Rashid Karimov , who claimed that on June 25 Sadigov beat him in the teahouse in Lankaran.  Kerimov’s statement was  reprinted by the  pro-government and state-owned media, even before his arrest  of Sadigov.
"Musavat" party believes this accusation is completely fabricated and politically motivated. On January 13 Sadigov was sentenced to six years' imprisonment.

In terms of total repression in Azerbaijan and a large number of political prisoners , the  case of Sadigov  was completely dishonest, ungrounded  and fabricated, said Yunus .

However,  Sadigov was not broken and  from the very outset  he turned  from the  accused  into the accuser of the  regime.  IPD announced Sadigov "prisoner of conscience."

The  leader of the party "Musavat", Isa Gambar, called Sadigov a real and courageous champion of democracy.

Elman Fatah, the head of the Public Committee  to protection the rights of  Sadigov noted that Sadigov enjoyed great prestige in the sensitive southern region. Under the  complicated political environment he was able to consolidate many Southerners around “Musavat”, it's probably  caused a particular hatred  of the authorities towards him.

According to the lawyer Khalid Bagirov , the charge was fabricated so that nothing was found to bring  Sadigov to justice.

Judicial investigation did not prove  Sadigov’s guilt. All the witnesses  of the prosecution were associated with municipalities and local executive authorities. On the day of the incident they were not in the teahouse, which is confirmed by their fellow villagers.  The court had not been submitted videos of Sadigov’s confrontation with the "victims" and witnesses," the lawyer said .

Award  of statuettes  of Themis was awarded to  Sadigov’s mother. She thanked the participants for their support.

Sadigov is one of the most active opposition politicians in the southern region. He was also active in facebook. In January 2013  Sadigov organized a trip  of the  "Musavat"  leader, Isa Gambar, to  Lankaran, which was thwarted by police and local activists of the ruling party.

During the ceremony video dedicated to the memory Isakhan Ashurov was screened.

The award "Isakhan Ashurov" was established June 23, 2012 after the death of the prominent Azerbaijani lawyer and public figure.

Isahan Ashurov in 1984-89 worked in the main investigation team of the Interior Ministry of  the  USSR.
In 1992-93  he worked as the  head of the Police Chief in  Gazakh region, and was  an active participant in protecting the area from attacks  of Armenian armed forces.

In 1994 he was convicted on charges of abuse of power, for preventing the seizure of power by armed groups  of Suret Huseinov.

Since 1996 Ashurov  was engaged in advocacy, defending the rights of political prisoners and many "prisoners of conscience."

On June 22, 2012 Ashurov died in a clinic in USA. -D06-