Baku / 05.01.18 / Turan: The Monitoring Center for Political Prisoners condemned the long imprisonment sentences on two groups of accused on the Nardaran events.
"Instead of the expected pardon for the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and New Year, cruel sentences were handed down to two groups of accused of the Nardaran events, who were sentenced to 12 to 15 years of imprisonment," the human rights organization"s head Elshan Hasanov said.
According to him, 24 people were convicted under the so-called Nardaran Case-2 and Nardaran Case-3, including the deputy chairman of the Muslim Unity Movement Elchin Gasymov and the known theologian Zulfugar Mikayilov.
At the same time, among those convicted were persons who are not related to the Muslim Unity Movement.
According to Hasanov, the preliminary investigation and trials took place with grave violations of the European Convention on Human Rights. Many of the accused were deprived of effective legal protection. More than 20 defendants were defended only by 4 lawyers whose applications were not satisfied, complaints of torture were not considered, and participation in the courts of human rights defenders was limited.
The Monitoring Center for Political Prisoners saw in these cases violations of the rights of accused, guaranteed by Article 3 (prohibition of torture), Article 6 (right to a fair trial), Article 7 (punishment solely on the basis of the law), and Article 13 (right to effective legal protection).
"We consider the verdicts rendered as legally unjustified and politically motivated. We demand the release of the convicts," the statement said.
Convicts on the Nardaran events were recognized by local and international human rights defenders as political prisoners, the document says.
* On November 26, 2015, police conducted a special operation in the village of Nardaran, during which the leader of the movement Muslim Unity Taleh Bagirzadeh and a group of his supporters were arrested.
After that, activists and supporters of the movement Muslim Unity were arrested in Baku and other regions. They were accused of terrorism, illegal storage of weapons, an attempt to violently change the constitutional order, resistance to the police, etc. -06B--
Social
-
The closure of Azerbaijan's land borders was discussed during the parliamentary session on November 25. While the government’s decision cites the coronavirus pandemic as the main reason—despite the World Health Organization declaring its end last year—Zahid Oruj, Chair of the Human Rights Committee in the Milli Majlis, pointed to other factors. He stated, "Opening the borders could result in an influx of hundreds of thousands of non-Azerbaijani refugees due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Additionally, in Iran, many are prepared to cross into Azerbaijan to safeguard their lives and assets amid military strikes. Such waves of refugees could lead to humanitarian, social, and cultural clashes that may threaten political stability."
-
On Tuesday, the General Prosecutor's Office announced the initiation of new criminal cases against agricultural product exporters who allegedly concealed their earnings abroad. Specifically, the Sumgayit City Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal case under Articles 208.2.1 and 208.2.2 (failure to return foreign currency to the country in large amounts by prior agreement of a group of individuals) and Article 308.2 (abuse of office causing serious consequences) against officials of the company "SOİL BOONS" LLC – Jahangir Aliyev, Elyar Gadzhiev, Mehman Mirzamedev, Saleh Gabilov, and Aly Aliyev.
-
Rains will continue in Baku and Absheron on 27 November, forecasters said. In places, precipitation will be intense with thunderstorms. Moderate north-west wind.
-
On Tuesday, rainy weather with thunderstorms and moderate northwest wind is expected in the Baku, according to meteorologists. The rainy weather will continue untill Wednesday evening. The air temperature at night will be +7 to +10°C, and during the day, +11 to +13°C. The humidity will be 80-90% at night and 70-80% during the day. Rain with thunderstorms will also affect other parts of the country. Snow is expected in mountainous areas. There will be fog in places, with westerly winds.
Leave a review