05 February 2009, 22:00
Human rights activists count 66 political prisoners in Azerbaijan
According to the Federation of Human Rights Organizations of Azerbaijan (FHROA), in total, there are now 66 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. This was stated by Leila Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, in her interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent in the context of the forthcoming discussion at the spring PACE session of the issue of appointing a special rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan.
Ms Yunus has noted that out of 66 political prisoners 27 had been put into the first list of 716 persons, which was adopted by the Council of Europe in 2001, when Azerbaijan joined the СЕ. Other 10 political prisoners are mentioned in the list of 101 persons, which was considered in 2001-2005 by former rapporteurs on political prisoners in Azerbaijan George Clairfit (Belgium) and Malcolm Bruce (Great Britain).
Fourteen political prisoners were arrested in 2005-2008. Among them Ruslan Bashirli, leader of the youth organization "New Generation", Natik Efendiev, activist of the Democratic Party, journalists Einullah Fatullaev, Ganimat Zakhid, Mirza Sakit and Mushfig Guseinov, head of the Talysh Cultural Centre Novruzali Mamedov and others.
The list of 66 includes also 7 persons from the "Karabakh guerrillas" - young men, who had planned to form groups for participation in warfare in Karabakh. Leila Yunus has emphasized that the "Karabakh guerrillas" are still in the list as they were arrested "on political charges, although later the political accusations were lifted."
Eight more persons are the so-called "potential" political prisoners. Among them Farkhad Aliev, ex-minister for economic development, his brother Rafik Aliev, former boss of the "Azpetrol" Private Company, Ali Insarov, ex-minister of public health, and others.
Ms Yunus has explained that they had been arrested on political charges - a coup d'etat attempt. However, as of today, they have been convicted for economic crimes, while the investigation of the coup d'etat charges goes on.
Besides, according to her story, the investigation on these persons' cases was accompanied by serious infringements of the law.
Earlier, Arzu Abdullaeva, head of the Azerbaijani National Committee of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, has stated that the PACE will appoint a special rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan, if the authorities of the country fail to release those whom the Assembly treats as political prisoners.
"Leader of "Gnchak" Party: Armenian authorities have no proofs on "Case of Seven"," "16 persons convicted for March riots in Erevan pardoned in Armenia," "Karabakh War veteran is on his 27th day of hunger strike in Armenia."
Author: Faik Medzhid Source: CK correspondent
September 20, 2024 23:28
-
Human rights defenders recognize blogger Askhabali Alibekov as political prisoner
The charge of using violence against a policeman does not correspond to the circumstances of the blogger Askhabali Alibekov’s case. The authorities are forcing the blogger to stop his opposition activities by persecuting him, the “Support for political prisoners. Memorial” human rights project states.
September 20, 2024 23:13
-
Natives of Ingushetia and Chechnya killed in shooting near “Wildberries” office in Moscow
As a result of shooting which took place near an office of the “Wildberries” Company in Moscow, Islambek Elmurziev, a 28-year-old master of sports in freestyle wrestling from Ingushetia, and Adam Almazov, a 41-year-old deputy commander of the “Akhmat-1” OMON (riot police) battalion from Chechnya, have been killed, sources report.
September 20, 2024 22:25
-
SC upholds sentence of Volgograd resident Paskar for setting fire to rug near FSB building
The cassation court refused to grant an appeal lodged against the sentence of Igor Paskar, a resident of Volgograd, who was sentenced to 8.5 years of imprisonment for setting fire to a rug near an FSB building in Krasnodar. The above information has been reported by the “OVD-Info”* human rights project.
September 20, 2024 21:52
-
Sentence in absentia for aiding terrorism upheld against Stavropol resident Denis Mamedov
The military court of appeal upheld the sentence to 16 years of imprisonment for aiding and abetting terrorism pronounced against Denis Mamedov, a former official from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in Stavropol. The above information has been reported by the “OVD-Info”* human rights project.
September 20, 2024 20:06
-
Volgograd resident detained for justifying terrorism
Agents of the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) have detained an earlier convicted Volgograd resident for his post in a messenger, seeing support for banned terrorist organizations in them.
-
September 20, 2024 23:28
Human rights defenders recognize blogger Askhabali Alibekov as political prisoner
-
September 20, 2024 23:13
Natives of Ingushetia and Chechnya killed in shooting near “Wildberries” office in Moscow
-
September 19, 2024 23:57
Fear of execution forces Dagestani resident to apologize to Kadyrov after road accident
-
September 19, 2024 22:39
Rights defenders find Andzor Kudaev's torture statement convincing
-
September 19, 2024 21:41
Activist Olga Begretova loses appeal in forced fingerprinting case
-
September 20, 2024 23:28
Human rights defenders recognize blogger Askhabali Alibekov as political prisoner
-
September 20, 2024 23:13
Natives of Ingushetia and Chechnya killed in shooting near “Wildberries” office in Moscow
-
September 19, 2024 23:57
Fear of execution forces Dagestani resident to apologize to Kadyrov after road accident
-
September 19, 2024 22:39
Rights defenders find Andzor Kudaev's torture statement convincing
-
September 19, 2024 21:41
Activist Olga Begretova loses appeal in forced fingerprinting case
-
September 20, 2024 23:28
Human rights defenders recognize blogger Askhabali Alibekov as political prisoner -
September 20, 2024 23:13
Natives of Ingushetia and Chechnya killed in shooting near “Wildberries” office in Moscow -
September 20, 2024 22:25
SC upholds sentence of Volgograd resident Paskar for setting fire to rug near FSB building -
September 20, 2024 21:52
Sentence in absentia for aiding terrorism upheld against Stavropol resident Denis Mamedov -
September 20, 2024 20:06
Volgograd resident detained for justifying terrorism -
September 19, 2024 23:57
Fear of execution forces Dagestani resident to apologize to Kadyrov after road accident -
September 19, 2024 22:39
Rights defenders find Andzor Kudaev's torture statement convincing -
September 19, 2024 21:41
Activist Olga Begretova loses appeal in forced fingerprinting case -
September 19, 2024 20:38
Appellate court leaves Ingush activists, Nalgiev and Khautiev, in colony -
September 19, 2024 18:31
Natalia Fedorenko, advocate of blogger Kharchenko*, complains about court's accusatory bias