DOCSLIB.ORG

Brutal Attack Against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Azerbaijan: Brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov Extract of Worldwide Movement for Human Rights https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/azerbaijan/15958-azerbaijan-brutal-attack-against-mr-il qar-nasibov Azerbaijan: Brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov - [english] - Region - Europe & Central Asia - Azerbaijan - Publication date: Tuesday 2 September 2014 Copyright © Worldwide Movement for Human Rights - All rights reserved Copyright © Worldwide Movement for Human Rights Page 1/5 Azerbaijan: Brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY AZE 003 / 0914 / OBS 073 Attack Azerbaijan September 2, 2014 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Azerbaijan. Description of the situation: The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov, a human rights defender and journalist working for the Resource Centre for Development of Democracy and NGOs in Nakhchivan City, Azerbaijan. Mr. Nasibov has been involved in the support of rare cases of ECtHR related to the torture and ill-treament of local residents by the branch of Ministry of National Security. According to the information received, on August 21, 2014 in the evening, Mr. Nasibov was called by a frequent visitor of the Resource Centre for Development of Democracy and NGOs. Later in the evening, his wife Ms. Malahat Nasibova, Head of the Resource Centre for Development of Democracy and NGOs, was informed that her husband had been found seriously wounded, and that the office had been destroyed. Mr. Nasibov was placed in the intensive care unit of a local hospital. According to Ms. Nasibova, her husband sustained a severe concussion, broken cheekbones, nose and ribs, bleeding wounds in the head and body, and lost sight in one eye. Doctors reportedly stamped more than a dozen stitches on his face and head, and feared that Mr. Nasibov could also suffer intracranial haemorrhage. When Mr. Nasibov regained consciousness, he reported that his assailant had rushed at him, with something like brass knuckles in his hand. He also told that a group of several people subsequently burst into the room, and began to choke him. On August 24, 2014, Mr. Nasibov was transferred from the hospital to his home in a decision that his wife considered as premature given his serious medical condition. Moreover, on August 30, 2014, Mr. Nasibov went to Turkey accompanied by his wife in order to receive further medical treatment. The police started a preliminary investigation, arrested a suspected assailant, searched the office and took some material evidence. They also heard the testimony of Ms. Nasibova. In addition, on August 25, 2014, a forensic examination was conducted, and the results should be known within a week. However, as of issuing this urgent appeal, no decision on whether to open a criminal case has yet been adopted, despite the serious injuries sustained by the victim. Moreover, the Observatory is concerned that the police reportedly already published its version of events, based on the version given by Mr. Nasibov's suspected assailant, alleging "an ordinary conflict between friends as a result of alcoholic intoxication", and arguing that "both parties are injured". According to recent reports, police would now even be accusing Mr. Nasibov of "provoking the other party". A few weeks before, on August 6, Ms. Malahat Nasibova and Mr. Ilgar Nasibov had reported that unknown Copyright © Worldwide Movement for Human Rights Page 2/5 Azerbaijan: Brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov individuals had tried to open and unlock the door of their apartment, damaging the mechanism [1]. This attack occurs in the context of a massive wave of repression targeting human rights defenders in Azerbaijan since July 2014. The Observatory expresses its deep concern about the above-mentioned events, and fears that Mr. Nasibov was attacked as a result of his human rights activities. The Observatory calls for an immediate, thorough, transparent investigation into the beating of Mr. Ilqar Nasibov, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and apply them the sanctions provided by the law. Background information: The Resource Centre for Development of Democracy and NGOs, also often named as the Human Rights Resource Centre, is de facto the only human rights NGO in the Azerbaijani enclave known as the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Ms. Nasibova is the Rafto Prize 2009 laureate. Both Mr. Ilqar Nasibov and Ms. Malahat Nasibova work for the Azeri service of Radio Free Europe - Radio Liberty (RFE-RL - Azadliq radiosu). Over the past years, their human rights work was met with hate speeches by local authorities, physical attacks and even forged criminal charges. In December 2007, after the authorities had arrested Mr. Ilqar Nasibov, the official propaganda had portrayed him as an Iranian spy. In the end, he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on a totally different accusation of "slander against the chief of Nakhchivan city police". In January 2010, Ms. Malahat Nasibova as well as Mr. Hakimeldosu Mehdiyev, Mr. Elman Abbasov and Mr. Mehman Mehdiyev, employees of the Resource Centre for Development of Democracy and NGOs, were reportedly attacked and prevented by local authorities from shooting footage while investigating reports of police abuse in Heydarabad village. Mr. Hakimeldosu Mehdiyev reported he was beaten by the local police, forced into his car and expelled from the village [2]. Action requested: Please write to the authorities in Azerbaijan, urging them to: i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ilqar Nasibov and Mrs. Malahat Nasibova as well as of all human rights defenders in Azerbaijan; ii. Order an immediate, thorough, transparent investigation into the beating of Mr. Ilqar Nasibov, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and apply them the sanctions provided by the law; iii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially: Article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels"; Article 5, which underscores the right of every individual to form, join, and participate in non-governmental organizations; and Copyright © Worldwide Movement for Human Rights Page 3/5 Azerbaijan: Brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov Article 12.2, which provides that the State shall "take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of his or her rights"; iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Azerbaijan. Addresses: · Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 19 Istiqlaliyyat St., Baku AZ1066, Azerbaijan, Fax: (+994) 12 492 06 25, (+994) 412 92 28 68, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] · Mr. Zakir Garalov, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prosecutor's Office, 7 Nigar Rafibeyli St., Baku, Azerbaijan, Fax: (+994) 12 492 06 82, (+994) 12 492 26 63, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] · Mr. Eldar Mahmudov, Minister of National Security, Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Parliament Avenue 14, Baku AZ1006, Azerbaijan, Fax: (+994) 12 493-76-22, E-mail: [email protected] · Mr. Ramil Usubov, Minister of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Azerbaijani Republic, Fax: (+994) 12 492 45 90 · Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, E-mail: [email protected] · Mr. Fikrat F. Mammadov, Minister of Justice in Azerbaijan, Inshaatchilar Prospekti, 1 Baku, Azerbaijan, e-mail: [email protected]; Fax (+994) 12 430 09 81 · H.E. Mr. Murad N. Najafbayli, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations in Geneva, Route des Fayards 237, CH-1290 Versoix, Switzerland, Fax: (+41) 22 901 18 44, E-mail: [email protected] · Embassy of Azerbaijan in Brussels, Avenue Moliere 464, 1050 Brussels, Belgium, Fax: (+32) 2 345 91 85 Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Azerbaijan in your respective country as well as to the EU diplomatic missions or embassies in Azerbaijan. *** Paris-Geneva, September 2, 2014 Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply. The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: " E-mail: [email protected] · Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80 · Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29 [1] See Observatory Open Letter, August 8, 2014. Copyright © Worldwide Movement for Human Rights Page 4/5 Azerbaijan: Brutal attack against Mr. Ilqar Nasibov [2] It is worth mentioning that the European Court of Human Rights communicated two cases initiated with the participation of Resource Centre, i.e. Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev v. Azerbaijan (Application No. 59075/09, lodged on November 4, 2009) in October 2013, and Shuriyya Zeynalov v.
Recommended publications
  • CAUCASUS ANALYTICAL DIGEST No. 114, March 2020 2

    CAUCASUS ANALYTICAL DIGEST No. 114, March 2020 2

    No. 114 March 2020 Abkhazia South Ossetia caucasus Adjara analytical digest Nagorno- Karabakh www.laender-analysen.de/cad www.css.ethz.ch/en/publications/cad.html FORMAL AND INFORMAL POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS Special Editors: Farid Guliyev and Lusine Badalyan (Justus Liebig University Giessen) ■■Introduction by the Special Editors The Interplay of Formal and Informal Institutions in the South Caucasus 2 ■■Post-Velvet Transformations in Armenia: Fighting an Oligarchic Regime 3 By Nona Shahnazarian (Institute for Archaeology and Ethnography at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan) ■■Formal-Informal Relations in Azerbaijan 7 By Farid Guliyev (Justus Liebig University Giessen) ■■From a Presidential to a Parliamentary Government in Georgia 11 By Levan Kakhishvili (Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences, Germany) Research Centre Center Center for Eastern European German Association for for East European Studies for Security Studies CRRC-Georgia East European Studies Studies University of Bremen ETH Zurich University of Zurich CAUCASUS ANALYTICAL DIGEST No. 114, March 2020 2 Introduction by the Special Editors The Interplay of Formal and Informal Institutions in the South Caucasus Over the past decade, the three republics of the South Caucasus made changes to their constitutions. Georgia shifted from presidentialism to a dual executive system in 2012 and then, in 2017, amended its constitution to transform into a European-style parliamentary democracy. In Armenia, faced with the presidential term limit, the former President Sargsyan initiated constitutional reforms in 2013, which in 2015 resulted in Armenia’s moving from a semipresidential system to a parliamentary system. While this allowed the incumbent party to gain the majority of seats in the April 2017 parliamentary election and enabled Sargsyan to continue as a prime minister, the shift eventually backfired, spilling into a mass protest, the ousting of Sargsyan from office, and the victory of Nikol Pashinyan’s bloc in a snap parliamentary election in December 2018.
  • A Unified List of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan

    A Unified List of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan

    A UNIFIED LIST OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN A UNIFIED LIST OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN Covering the period up to 25 May 2017 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................4 DEFINITION OF POLITICAL PRISONERS...............................................................5 POLITICAL PRISONERS.....................................................................................6-106 A. Journalists/Bloggers......................................................................................6-14 B. Writers/Poets…...........................................................................................15-17 C. Human Rights Defenders............................................................................17-18 D. Political and social Activists ………..........................................................18-31 E. Religious Activists......................................................................................31-79 (1) Members of Muslim Unity Movement and those arrested in Nardaran Settlement...........................................................................31-60 (2) Persons detained in connection with the “Freedom for Hijab” protest held on 5 October 2012.........................60-63 (3) Religious Activists arrested in Masalli in 2012...............................63-65 (4) Religious Activists arrested in May 2012........................................65-69 (5) Chairman of Islamic Party of Azerbaijan and persons arrested
  • Turkey Into the Abyss? Suna Erdem on Whether Turkey’S Politicians Can Prevent a Catastrophe from Unfolding

    Turkey Into the Abyss? Suna Erdem on Whether Turkey’S Politicians Can Prevent a Catastrophe from Unfolding

    Inside this issue: Out of Africa for Russian banking exile Jennings Mattoni puts the fizz into Central European waters Slovakia’s Fico told to take November 2015 www.bne.eu his trousers down GBP 4.50/USD 6.75/EUR 5.90 Turkey into the abyss? Suna Erdem on whether Turkey’s politicians can prevent a catastrophe from unfolding Special Report: Ben Aris looks at Georgian PM CEE/CIS Bank Moscow Exchange’s Garibashvili Survey 2015 revival p. 12 talks China, p. 28 Russia and trade p. 60 ISSN 2059-2736 ISSN bne November 2015 Contents I 3 Senior editorial board Ben Aris (Moscow) +7 9162903400 editor-in-chief [email protected] 20 10 James R Hammond (Boston) +1 6178525441 publisher [email protected] Nicholas Watson (Prague) +42 0731582719 managing editor [email protected] Robert Anderson (Prague) +42 0603517867 news editor [email protected] Liam Halligan (London) +44 7801799279 editor-at-large [email protected] Central Asia 15 Naubet Bisenov (Almaty) +7 7015933810 bureau chief [email protected] Eastern Europe 6 THE MONTH THAT WAS 28 SPECIAL REPORT – Nicholas Allen (Berlin) +49 15730395872 CEE/CIS Bank Survey 2015 bureau chief [email protected] Central Europe COMPANIES & MARKETS Tim Gosling (Prague) +42 0720180811 36 COVER FEATURE bureau chief [email protected] 10 Out of Africa for Russia Southeast Europe banking exile Jennings Turkey into the abyss? Clare Nuttall (Bucharest) +7 7073011495 bureau chief [email protected] 11 Russia’s central bank limits foreign shareholder voting Advertising & subscription CENTRAL EUROPE Elena Arbuzova (Moscow) +7 9160015510 business
  • Eap CSF Roadmap Report Overview 13 Nov 2013

    Eap CSF Roadmap Report Overview 13 Nov 2013

    THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP ROADMAP TO THE VILNIUS SUMMIT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROADMAP IMPLEMENTATION BY THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM This project is funded by the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP ROADMAP TO THE VILNIUS SUMMIT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROADMAP IMPLEMENTATION BY THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM MAY 2012 – OCTOBER 2013 An Open Road from Vilnius to Riga by Jeff Lovitt, Executive Director, PASOS ...................................................................................... 3 ARMENIA: Association Agreement stopped in its tracks by Boris Navasardian, Yerevan Press Club President, Arevhat Grigoryan, Yerevan Press Club Expert, Mikayel Hovhannisyan, Europe Program Manager with Eurasia Partnership Foundation, Heriknaz Harutyunyan, Yerevan Press Club Expert ....................................................................... 7 AZERBAIJAN: Participatory policymaking should be priority by Gubad Ibadoglu, Public Initiative Center, Araz Aslanli and Nazim Jafarov, Caucasus Strategic Analytical Center ...................................... 21 BELARUS: Dialogue limited to technical and diplomatic level by Andrei Yahorau, Center for European Transformation ............................................................ 35 GEORGIA: Civil society gains greater say in policymaking by Tamara Pataraia, Manana Kochladze, Tamar Khidasheli, Kakha Gogolashvili ......................
  • 12 Azerbaijan: Going It Alone

    12 Azerbaijan: Going It Alone

    12 Azerbaijan: Going It Alone Svante E. Cornell Over the past two decades, Azerbaijan has been among the countries most reti- cent to engage in integration projects among post-Soviet states. In fact, from the early 1990s onward, Azerbaijan resisted Russian efforts to integrate the country into various institutions. Since then, it has taken a position that can be generally described as being somewhat more accommodating than Georgia’s position toward Moscow, and somewhat more forward than those of Uzbeki- stan and Turkmenistan. In that context, it should come as no surprise that Azerbaijan has rejected offers to join the Customs Union or upcoming Eurasian Union, but it also has maintained a low profile on the matter. Economic Prospects Analysts have pointed to benefits as well as drawbacks that membership in the Customs Union and Eurasian Union would bring to Azerbaijan. These analyses are practically unanimous in noting that the negatives outweigh the positives. Even semi-official Russian analysts have acknowledged this, with one noting that “if Azerbaijan joins the Customs Union, that it is jointly with Turkey and this will not happen soon because of the nature of the Azerbaijani economy.”1 The benefits of Azerbaijan joining the Customs Union would essentially lie in greater access to the Russian market. Given that the Eurasian Union would bring free mobility of labor, it would, in theory, legalize the estimated up to two million Azerbaijani guest laborers in Russia, of which only a fraction have a legal presence—implying that Customs Union membership would remove one potential Russian instrument of pressure.
  • Assault and Threats Against Members of the Institute for Peace and Democracy - AZE 002 / 0611 / OBS 090

    Assault and Threats Against Members of the Institute for Peace and Democracy - AZE 002 / 0611 / OBS 090

    www.fidh.org Azerbaijan 16 June 2011 Assault and threats against members of the Institute for Peace and Democracy - AZE 002 / 0611 / OBS 090 The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the assault and threats against Ms. Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) and member of OMCT General Assembly, as well as against other members of IPD. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Azerbaijan. Description of the situation: According to the information received, on June 13, 2011, at around 3.40 p.m., an unknown man dressed in plainclothes got out of a car with the plate number 90HS366, which had stopped in front of IPD offices, in Baku, and insulted Ms. Leyla Yunus with harsh words as she and other IPD member were painting some words on the wall of the private-owned house where IPD offices are located[1]. Some IPD members and local residents came to the place after hearing the cries. The man told them that he was a police officer, but refused to produce any document. He went back to his car and drove away. Ms. Leyla Yunus called some embassies' representatives to alert them about the incident and asked them to come to IPD offices. Around 15 minutes later, several police officers from Police Station No. 21 of Nasimi District Department of Internal Affairs of Baku City entered IPD's offices and aggressively demanded the removal of the words written on the wall.
  • 2009 Trial Monitoring Report Azerbaijan N a J I a B R E Z A

    2009 Trial Monitoring Report Azerbaijan N a J I a B R E Z A

    2009 TRIAL MONITORING REPORT AZERBAIJAN REPOR 2009 TRIAL T AZERBAIJAN MONIT ORING 2009 TRIAL MONITORING REPORT AZERBAIJAN © OSCE Office in Baku - i - Table of Contents Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................................ ii List of Abbreviations.................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Scope of the Report. Methodology............................................................................................................... 6 I. Observance of Fair Trial and Rights of the Defendants....................................................................... 9 1.1. The Right to a Public Hearing..................................................................................................... 9 1.2. Presence at Hearings: Defendant, Defence Counsel and Prosecutor ........................................ 11 1.3. The Right to be Informed of the Charges and the Right not to Incriminate Oneself ................ 13 1.4. Duty to Effectively Investigate Allegations of Ill-Treatment ................................................... 21 1.5. The Right to an Independent and Impartial Tribunal................................................................ 25 1.6. The Right to be Presumed Innocent.........................................................................................
  • Severe Torture and Unfair Trials of Members of the Nardaran Community

    Severe Torture and Unfair Trials of Members of the Nardaran Community

    Azerbaijan: Severe Torture and Unfair Trials of Members of the Nardaran Community The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Azerbaijan. Description of the situation: The OMCT has been informed by reliable sources about severe torture and unfair trials in the cases of 18 members of the Shiite minority of Nardaran including Mr. Taleh Bagirzadeh, Mr. Jahad Balakishiev, Mr. Shamil Abdylaliev, and Mr. Bahruz Askerov. They were arrested on 26 November 2015 during a special operation of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in Nardaran in an attempt to crack down the Muslim Unity, a Shiite organisation that presents an Islamist alternative to the State. In this so-called “Nardaran case”, the arrested are charged with serious crimes including murder, terrorism, riots, illegal possession of weapons, violent seizure of power, incitement to religious hatred. According to information received by his lawyer, Mr Taleh Bagirzadeh the head of Muslim Unity, was arrested and was brought to a van where officers proceeded in hitting his face, smashing his head on the ground, trying to break his back and verbally abusing him. Mr. Bagirzadeh was subsequently brought to the offices of the Main Organized Crime Department where he was forced to lay on the ground and was severely beaten resulting in blood loss and open flesh wounds. Two to three days after his arrest, an investigator from the General Prosecutor’s office visited Mr. Bagirzadeh and expressed shock about his condition. However, no investigation was initiated. During his arbitrary detention on the premises of the Organized Crime Department, Mr.
  • AZERBAIJAN: Assessment May 2012 – October 2013

    AZERBAIJAN: Assessment May 2012 – October 2013

    The Eastern Partnership Roadmap to the Vilnius Summit An assessment of the roadmap implementation by the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, co-ordinated by the Regional Environmental Centre, Moldova, and PASOS – Policy Association for an Open Society, October 2013 AZERBAIJAN: Assessment May 2012 – October 2013 by Gubad Ibadoglu, Public Initiative Center, Araz Aslanli and Nazim Jafarov, Caucasus Strategic Analytical Center Participatory policymaking should be priority Azerbaijan has slipped behind other partner countries with slow progress on Association and Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements Does the government engage with civil society on policymaking? No Is policymaking participatory, e.g. public consultations No on draft legislation? Does the government actively engage in trialogue with EU and civil society? No Is the process of drafting agreements between Azerbaijan and the EU transparent with public consultations? No Does the EU delegation actively engage in trialogue with government and civil society Partially Does the EU delegation promote trialogue talks with government and civil society? Yes Positive developments: • “Azerbaijan 2020: Look into the Future” development plans finalised • Working agreement signed between State Border Service and Frontex • Progress on Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements – to be signed at Vilnius summit • Agreement on TAP (Trans Adriatic Pipeline) as partner on Southern Gas Corridor Negative developments: • Amendments to legislation on freedom of assembly further limit citizens’
  • A Unified List of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan

    A Unified List of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan

    A UNIFIED LIST OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN A UNIFIED LIST OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN AZERBAIJAN Covering the period up to 25 November 2019 Contents INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3 THE DEFINITION OF POLITICAL PRISONERS ...................................................... 4 POLITICAL PRISONERS ............................................................................................ 5 A. JOURNALISTS AND BLOGGERS .................................................................... 5 B. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVISTS .......................................................... 13 A case of financing of the opposition party ......................................................... 19 C. RELIGIOUS ACTIVISTS .................................................................................. 24 (1) Members of Muslim Unity Movement and people arrested in Nardaran Settlement ............................................................................................................ 24 (2) Chairman of Islamic Party of Azerbaijan and persons arrested together with him ....................................................................................................................... 51 (3) Other religious activists .................................................................................. 56 D. LIFETIME PRISONERS ................................................................................... 59 E. POLITICAL HOSTAGES ................................................................................
  • Azerbaijan Parliamentary Elections 2005 Lessons Not Learned

    Azerbaijan Parliamentary Elections 2005 Lessons Not Learned

    Azerbaijan Parliamentary Elections 2005 Lessons Not Learned Human Rights Watch Briefing Paper October 31, 2005 Summary..................................................................................................................2 Background..............................................................................................................4 Past Elections ...................................................................................................... 5 Official Positions in the Lead-up to the 2005 Election Campaign ..........................6 Election Commissions .............................................................................................8 Voter Cards, IDs and Voter Lists.............................................................................8 Registration of Candidates.......................................................................................9 Media .....................................................................................................................10 Local Government Interference .............................................................................11 Candidates’ Meetings With Voters........................................................................11 Rallies ....................................................................................................................13 In the Capital, Baku........................................................................................... 13 In the Regions...................................................................................................
  • Health Concern/Fear of Torture Or Ill-Treatment/Legal Concern

    Health Concern/Fear of Torture Or Ill-Treatment/Legal Concern

    PUBLIC AI Index: EUR 55/004/2006 04 August 2006 UA 209/06 Health concern/Fear of torture or ill-treatment/Legal Concern AZERBAIJAN Ruslan Bashirli (m) ] Said Nuri (m) ] members of Yeni Fikir youth movement Ramin Tagiyev (m) ] Ruslan Bashirli, Said Nuri and Ramin Tagiyev, members of a political youth movement, Yeni Fikir (‘New Idea’), were convicted of plotting to violently overthrow the government, after an unfair trial. Both Ruslan Bashirli and Ramin Tagiyev are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment in detention. According to reports, Ruslan Bashirli is not receiving the medical treatment he needs for head injuries allegedly sustained during torture. Said Nuri, who was given a suspended sentence, is also being denied treatment for a serious medical condition. Ruslan Bashirli was arrested on 3 August 2005, Said Nuri on 12 September 2005 and Ramin Tagiyev on 16 September. Following his arrest Ruslan Bashirli was allegedly tortured at the Organized Crime Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where Azerbaijani human rights activists have previously documented cases of torture. According to his lawyer, doctors at the Bayil Prison in the capital, Baku, where Ruslan Bashirli is currently being held, suggested that he may have lost consciousness due to blows to the head. Ruslan Bashirli was also pressured to incriminate opposition politicians, which he refused to do. The three men were convicted of "actions aimed at the violent overthrow of the Azerbaijani government" under Article 278 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code. The prosecution alleged that the three were among members of Yeni Fikir who had attended seminars organized by the American non-governmental organization the National Democratic Institute, at which strategies for overthrowing the Azerbaijani government were supposedly discussed.