Helsinki Comission: Azerbaijani authorities should stop pressure on PFA and other activists
Washington/11.05.20/Turan: In response to the Government of Azerbaijan’s mounting harassment of Azerbaijani opposition members, activists, and journalists, Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) and Co-Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (MS) issued the following statement:
“During this pandemic, public health precautions do not excuse politically-motivated repression. We are deeply troubled by reports that the Government of Azerbaijan is further squeezing its people’s access to free expression, media, and information through arrests, fines, harassment, and possibly torture. Authorities should cease exploiting this global crisis to limit the speech of members of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan and other activists and reporters.”
In recent weeks, Azerbaijani authorities have detained, questioned, jailed, fined, and, in one case possibly tortured opposition members and journalists affiliated with the country’s main opposition party, the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), and opposition-aligned media outlet Azadliq.
Since the global spread of the novel coronavirus, the Azerbaijani Government has intermittently cut off internet and phone access to PFPA Chair Ali Karimli, preventing him from communicating with the outside world, including conducting interviews with media. Last week, a coalition of opposition parties accused the government of torturing PFPA activist Niyameddin Ahmedov while in custody. Other PFPA affiliated activists and writers, including Aqil Humbatov, Faiq Amirli, and Saadat Jahangir, have been detained for allegedly violating quarantine rules after speaking or reporting critically about the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.-0-
Politics
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On April 30, the Khatai District Court of Baku arrested Anar Mammadli - the head of the Center for Monitoring Elections and Teaching Democracy (CMVOD), for 3 months and 28 days. Turan was informed about this by his lawyer Elmar Suleymanov.
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The process of gradual withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh continues. Columns of armored vehicles, special equipment, and fuel trucks periodically arrive at the Goran railway station, which is near the city of Ganja. After loading onto the platforms, the equipment, along with the personnel, departs for Russia.
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On Tuesday, trade union activist Afiyaddin Mammadov testified at the Baku Serious Crimes Court and linked his arrest to trade union activities. Mammadov recalled that after a protest by food delivery couriers in front of the Baku Police Headquarters on August 1, 2023, three trade union activists were arrested. So, on August 4, Elvin Mustafayev was arrested, and on the 11th, Ayhan Israfilov. Mammadov himself was also subjected to administrative arrest in August.
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The consideration of the claim of the editor of the economic news department of Turan agency Hafiz Babaly against ATV TV channel has ended today in the Sabail court of Baku. The lawsuit was filed in connection with the defamation of Babaly in the news of the TV channel on December 28.
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