In the U.S. Helsinki Commission

6 June 2014

WAVE OF REPRESSION AGAINST ACTIVISTS OF CIVIL SOCIETY SET FORTH FOR EUROINTEGRATION OF AZERBAIJAN

Information of Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD)

Citizens of Azerbaijan Republic are not capable to defend their guaranteed by the Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, rights on protection from the tortures, lives of their children, rights for fair trial, the property rights, the rights for freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and other fundamental rights and freedoms.

Life and safety of kids. In 2009 director of IPD Leyla Yunus published research regarding the participation of the officers of Ministry of Internal Affairs in the trafficking of people by the example of Medjidov sisters (7 and 14 years old), which was organized by the chief of police department of Davachi region of Azerbaijan Republic and his deputy. No one from the police officers were involved to the investigation as suspects, but IPD was exposed to the outrageous pressure: Minister of Internal Affairs brought an lawsuit against Leyla Yunus, there was a try of kidnapping the worker of IPD. In the result of international support Minister withdrew his lawsuit, and Leyla Yunus daughter and the family of Leyla Yunus deputy received asylum in Europe.

Property rights. In the period from 2009 to 2011 more than 60 thousands Baku residents were illegally deprived from their apartments and houses. IPD carried out the research “«Corruption as Constituent in Violation of Property Right by Executive Agencies” (http://ft.contact.az/en/?cat=7) and forwarded the results to president Ilham Aliyev, who constantly calling the citizens to fight against corruption and to inform about the known facts of corruption. Results of the research was also publishes in Mass Media. On August 10^th 2011, the interview with Leyla Yunus was published in “New York Times”. On 11^th August 2011, bulldozer demolished Yunus family house where the office of Institute for Peace and Democracy was situated with all the belongings inside (computers, archive, library, etc.) (see: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/08/12/world/asia/100000000996216/a-building-is-bulldozed-in-azerbaijan.html; http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/13/world/asia/13azerbaijan.html?scp=1&sq=Leyla%20Yunus&st=cse).

Regardless the protests of international community and the court decision on compensation for demolishing the house was not paid. On the threshold of holding the European Olympic Games in Baku in 2015, the demolishing of the houses of 80 thousands citizens of the capital is being planned.

The rights for freedom of assembly. From November 2005 mass meetings, demonstrations and pickets are restricted to be held in the center of Baku. To all appeals regarding this issue, Baku executive power answers in rejection. From January 2013, practically, the ban to hold any kind of meetings, discussions of independent institutions of civil society in hotels, cafes, media centers was enacted. Upon the testimonies of the managers of the hotels, the order regarding refusal to rent the hall, comes directly from the Ministry of National Security.

The rights for protection against tortures, for freedom and fair trial. On January 15^th 2014 president Ilham Aliyev during his speech in Brussels, stated that there are not political prisoners in Azerbaijan. After a week, during the presentation Leyla Yunus introduced IPDs list of political prisoners and “prisoners of conscience”, which composed of 127 people. IPD presented to republican and international community not only the list contained with the names – but each name accompanied the detail information regarding falsification of the criminal case during investigation, usage of tortures and also provided evidentiary base of the illegal sentences by the court. From February 2014, repressions became stronger, and the number of “prisoner of conscience” rose. IPD continuously renews the list of the victims of political repressions, which is always available in English language on following website: (http://ft.contact.az/en/?p=155).

Events in Ukraine, which attracted the USA and EU most attention to it, gave the opportunity to Aliyev authoritarian regime to begin the full elimination of remained in Azerbaijan Independent NGOs and Mass Media. Among the “prisoners of conscience” in the list of IPD are:

-          12 journalists and bloggers, including the editor of the only newspaper of Talysh national minority in Talysh language “Tolyshi Sado” Hilal Mamedov (his predecessor Novruzali Mamedov died in imprisonment from tortures in August 2009, in 2010-2011 his two sons were killed), also including journalist of the “Yeni Musavat” newspaper Tofiq Yaqubly, whose daughter was also criminated.

-          3 HRDs, including Anar Mamedli and Bashir Suleymanli, the leaders of NGO Election  Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDSC). EMDSC gave the strong proof    (including the video records) of the ballot rigging at the presidential elections on October 09, 2013.

-          Eleven youth activists, the majority of who received their education in USA and the EU countries, including 8 people of the youth movement NIDA. During detention and investigation period they were exposed to tortures and other forms of inhuman treatments.

-          Two leaders of westernized opposition, including Ilgar Mamedov, who is the Chairman of REAL Movement. 

Prevention of peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict. To fan a national and religious strife.  On April 19^th 2014, Rauf Mirkadirov, honored Azerbaijan journalist, Gerd Bucerious laureate, correspondent of “Zerkalo” (Mirror) newspaper was arrested. He was accused in parricide, in espionage in favor of Armenia. General Office of Public Prosecutor investigator group at the head of Eldar Ahmedov presenting the participation of R.Mirkadirov in joint projects of IPD and Armenian NGO “Region” Research Center headed by Laura Badagasyan (who in presentment of General Office of Public Prosecutor is called “governor of Armenian secret service”) as the evidence to this case.

IPD and Region” Research Centers have been cooperating since 2005 on the following projects: Elimination of Stereotypes, Formation of the Common Access, Breaking Stereotypes and Creating Common Information Space

In consequence of implementation of these projects, in 2012 launched the unique joint Azerbaijani-Armenian website – www.publicdialogues.info - platform for peaceful dialogue to reach understanding and break enmity.

This is the only independent internet platform, on which the direct dialog and discussions carrying out by the conflictologists, journalists, politics from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, USA and European countries. Azerbaijan writer Akram Aliysli support campaign was launched at this website as well. He was exposed to outrageous pressure, including public incineration of his books for his novel “Stone dreams” that denounce Armenian pogroms and murder of people because of national feature. At this webpage, IPD also published analysis on Azerbaijan history schoolbooks that provokes the hatred towards the Christians and in particular towards Armenians.

The most awful misdeed of the present is fostering hatred against another nation, to which, dirty politicians nowadays have immersed their citizens to in almost all the post Soviet Countries.

General Office of Public Prosecutor proclaimed exactly this peacemaking work hostile, directed against Azerbaijan. Thus, the arrest of Rauf Mirkadirov is followed by detention of me and my husband Arif Yunus. By ‘un kenneling our espionage ring’ the Aliyev regime will kill two or even three birds with one stone:

-          The joint Armenian-Azerbaijan projects conducted by independent NGOs will be put to an end. Only CONGOs that are under the control of authorities will “cooperate” with Armenian colleagues. Slogan “Armenian – then the Enemy” will be compulsory and will be outside criticisms.

-          The group of independent human rights defenders will be punished and the possibility to widely investigate the unlawful actions of authorities in terms of political repressions will be stopped. 

-          The fear that found its place in the head of activists of civil society, who are closely operating with USA and European funds and organizations will strengthen.

It is important to point out here that in the center of repressions are actually NGOs and Mass Media, which receives grants from Western donors. NGOs and Mass Media that receive grants from Russian funds have not been exposed to any kind of pressure, at the same time are enabled to let themselves to criticize Aliyev ‘s regime.

The right for freedom of movement. On April 28 2014 Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus were detained in the airport while their departure to Brussels at the invitation of the European Endowment for Democracy. When detained their passports were taken away, they were searched, their laptop and personal documents were seized. On April 28 starting from 10.00 pm till 04.00 am on April 29 the Leyla and Arif Yunus were unlawfully detained without presenting any document to state a reason of detainment and a search warrant.

The investigators of the Prosecutor’s Office pushed them into the car with a force and brought them to their place of residence. Having not presented a search warrant, they demanded from Leyla and Arif Yunus to open the apartment. Around 40 police and secret service officers gathered outside their building. Not managing to withstand to stress, Arif Yunus began to black out. But investigator Lemberanski refused to allow the ambulance to take Arif Yunus to hospital. Only after 30 minutes thanks to the demands of the persistent journalists Arif Yunus was taken to hospital where he was immediately put into intensive care unit.

The officers kept on maltreating Leyla Yunus. The violence against the 59-year-old woman Chief of Yasamal District Police Department of Baku city, Colonel Ismail Asadov fully excused saying to the journalists: ‘She is not Azeri! She is Armenian! And she deserves to be treated exactly like that – to be beaten and raped …’Leyla Yunus was kept continuously under arrest for more than 26 hours. Neither proof of guilt, nor arrest warrant was presented.

Currently Yunus’ family is kept as the hostages  and their passports have not been returned yet.

 On May 1^st and 2^nd 2014, Matanat Azizova – chief of single in AR Women Crisis Center, established by IPD in 2001 and permanently situated in Leyla Yunus house, was called in for questioning in Prosecutor’s Office. She was questioned for 8-10 hours. Matanat Azizova was demanded to give a testimony against Leyla Yunus accusing her in “espionage activities”, by threatening her with arrest. On May 3^rd, Azizova left Azerbaijan. On May 22^nd, when Matanat Azizova son and husband tried to cross Azerbaijan-Georgian border, they were stopped. Her husband Eldar and son 18 years old Jamal Azizov were prohibited to leave Azerbaijan. Frontier guards referred to the order of the Prosecutor’s Office. Azizov’s family are also kept as hostages.

Citizens of Azerbaijan, as prisoners in the camp, or slaves belonging to their masters: children can be kidnapped and sold outside the country, houses can be demolished, you yourself or your relatives can be arrested, tortured and beaten to death or sentenced for any period of time on fictitious accusations, can be banned to leave the country-prison.

 The most important, those who are at the power can do everything, and citizens are entirely unprotected and deprived from their civil rights.

Dr. Leyla Yunus

Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour

Winner of the International Theodor-Haecker-Prize

Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy