Report of Human Rights Organization on Massive Violation of Property Rights

Baku / 17.02.18 / Turan: A non-governmental organization, the Monitoring Center for Political Prisoners has published a report on violations of civil rights by public servants. The monitoring covered the executive bodies of districts and cities of Azerbaijan.

In the 15-page study, there are numerous specific facts of the officials' seizure of land, forced eviction of residents in the framework of irrigation projects, and deforestation of greenery.

So, in the village of Saryjaly in the Agjabedi district, the district administration changed the appointment of 2 thousand hectares of winter pastures for their private company.

In the Gadabay region the businessman Fakhraddin Baghirov complains about the decision of the local administration to demolish the commercial object belonging to him.

Abuses by district officials and their violation of the rights of owners are widespread in the districts of Baku.

In the Sabunchu district of Baku, the district authorities signed a contract with the Park Group company on the actual privatization of the green area, on the site of which construction projects are expected to be implemented.

Mass violations of property rights occur in the so-called "pilot-project" renovation of housing. Hundreds of families were forcibly evicted from their homes in the Surakhani, Nasimi, Khatai, Narimanov, Nizami, Yasamal, Sabayil, Pirallahy and Khazar regions.

At the same time, there are no reliable guarantees that people will be provided with housing after a while. So, contracts on providing citizens with apartments in new houses built on the site of their former housing are not certified by a notary. The district authorities not only do not act as guarantors of the implementation of agreements, but actively participate in the eviction of disagreeing residents.

The companies often begin to demolish residential buildings while they are not completely freed by the residents. To force people to leave their apartments they switch the residents off electricity, gas, water, and telephone. Officials do not take into account the fact that there are old people and children who need special care in their homes.

All these actions, according to the head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners, contradict the articles of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Constitution of Azerbaijan on the inviolability of property.

According to Hasanov, according to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers on measures to upgrade the housing stock and improvement of living conditions, the property of individuals and legal entities can be alienated only with their consent and full payment of the property value or the provision of other adequate real estate.

Hasanov regretfully stated that the courts do not provide protection of the rights of citizens. Even if the judge makes a decision in favor of citizens and decides to suspend the demolition, these verdicts are still not executed.

The authors of the report urge the authorities to comply with the norms of the European Convention, the Constitution and laws, to respect property rights, and in cases of alienation of property, to pay adequate compensation based on market prices.

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