The National Council urged the authorities not to create additional tension

In the course of the passed week the authorities have taken several illegal steps counter to the interests of the Azerbaijani people. First of all, the authorities rejected the request made by the National Council to hold a rally scheduled for March 2, 2019. Previously 2 other requests made by the National Council (January 26 and February 23) were also rejected. Whatever ridiculous the explanations were made in the rejection letter by the Baku City Executive Power, it"s clear that the real reason for the rejection is the high resolve of people after the successful rally of January 19th.

The Presidential Administration has came to the conclusion that although the series of tough steps have been taken after the January 19th rally, like administrative arrests of over 40 PFPA members, calls and intimidation to approximately 25.000 rally participants, authorities did not manage to frighten the people and downgrade the wave and potential of social anger and protest in the country.

They understood that if they authorize the 2nd March rally, it would be much numerous than that of 19th of January.

Indeed, the society is well aware of the reasons why Ilham Aliyev after 16 years of ignorance towards the people, after the January 19th rally he suddenly changed his arrogant attitude and ordered social oriented decrees one after the other.

Although Ilham Aliyev did not agree to authorize the next rally, his government has been partly fulfilling the demands of the National Council with the intent to reduce the source of subsequent social protests

It is worthy of stressing that despite all the tricks and sweeteners by the authorities, the Azerbaijani society is awake and committed to demand for more rights through peaceful rallies. The National Council states that the failure to authorize the peaceful rallies violates the Constitution and the European Convention. The National Council demands the authorities to restore the right of people for freedom of assembly.

The failure to restore this fundamental right of people for freedom of assembly may have dangerous consequences and launch undesirable processes firstly for the Azerbaijani authorities. Therefore, the government must immediately abandon its current position, which is a threat to our state, our nation as a whole, and should encourage citizens to express their position through peaceful rallies.

The National Council underlines that it will be persistent in seeking the freedom of the rallies and will make its final decision on the date of the next rally after having carefully analyzed the situation on the ground.

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Another significant political event of the week was the completion of the criminal case against the APFP and its chairman Mr. Ali Kerimli, which began in May last year. The trial against the former chief executive of Gadabay region Mr. Saleh Rustamov, his nephew Mr. Vidadi Rustamli, APFP functionaries Mr. Aqil Maharramli, Mr. Babek Hasanov and Mr. Ruslan Nasirli, who had been charged with illegal financial assistance to the APFP and its chairman, ended with unfair and severe penalties. Mr. Saleh Rustamov was falsely sentenced to 7 years and 3 months, Mr. Aqil Maharramli to 4 years, Mr. Babek Hasanov to 3 years, Mr. Vidadi Rustamli and Mr. Ruslan Nasirli sentenced to 7 years of conditional imprisonment and were released.

The National Council has been carefully following the case and is firmly convinced that the investigation was carried out under the instruction from the presidential administration, has been politically motivated. The authorities widely used tortures and ignorance to the basic principles of law and justice. It was clearly proven that there was no any crime committed, the accused were arrested with the intention to organize the provocation against the chairman of the APFP. In spite of all evidences, the court ruled such an unfair sentence. The National Council states that this politically motivated sentence should be abolished and the innocent people immediately released. The government is pursuing a repressive policy and aggravates the issue of political prisoners in the country.

At the same time, such a behavior is a message to both domestic and international community and evidence that efforts for the solution of the issue of political prisoner in Azerbaijan are insufficient, and the authorities must be pressured more effectively. The National Council believes that the authorities have, in fact made a serious mistake by ordering such a flagrant violation of law and injustice.

However, he has the opportunity to at least rectify its mistake in the next instance court. The National Council urges the authorities to change its destructive and dangerous approach and release the innocent people as well all other political prisoners.

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The National Council of Democratic forces deeply regrets that on the day of commemoration of the Khodjaly tragedy, the Azerbaijani authorities organized several provocations against the Musavat party and the National Council members by preventing its members to approach the monument and to pay their respect to the memory of the victims of Khodjali tragedy.

The Azerbaijani authorities did not hesitate to demonstrate its hate attitude towards the opposition even on February 26, at the days of national calamity. As it was made during all previous years, the opposition parties with its members came to give their respect to the memory of the victims of Khodjali genocide, but their way towards the monument of the martyrs of Khojaly in Baku was blocked by the police.

The clear aim of this provocation was to initiate the clash with the law enforcement and to give the ground for the authorities to further restrict the right of people for the assembly.

The National Council warns the government to stop further provocations that might lead to the increase of tension in the country. The National Council kindly requests the European Union, the Council of Europe, the OSCE to raise our concern to the Azerbaijani government during the meetings with its officials.