Article 19: Global Campaign for Free Expression, Committee to Protect Journalists, Index on Censorship, Media Diversity Institute, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, PEN International, Reporters Without Borders, and Human Rights House Foundation are particularly concerned by the detention and imprisonment of a number of persons on the basis of exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Those people include:

  • Avaz Zeynalli, the Editor-In-Chief of Khural newspaper, who is serving pre-trial detention on trumped-up charges of extortion and bribery, based solely on the unsubstantiated claim by a parliamentary deputy. He faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted; 
  • Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, the blogger and civic activist who was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on charges of evading military service after he took part in organising a pro-democracy protest in March 2011;
  • Vidadi Iskenderov, the human rights defender who, following his participation in several opposition political protests in March and April 2011, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on charges of interfering with the conduct of the November 2010 parliamentary elections;
  • Fifteen political activists who were sentenced to lengthy prison sentences for organising a series of protests in March and April 2011 inspired by the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa; 
  • Ruslan Bashirli, the leader of the opposition Yeni Fikir youth movement who was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on charges of coup-plotting in the run-up to the 2005 parliamentary elections.

The international NGOs also recall with concern the recent imprisonment of others on the basis of exercising their right to freedom of expression:

  • Jabbar Savalan, the opposition political activist who spent nearly a year in prison on charges of drug possession following his calls on Facebook for pro-democracy protests;
  • Eynulla Fatullayev, the Editor-In-Chief of the former critical independent newspapers Realniy Azerbaijan and Gundelik Azerbaijan, who spent more than four years in prison on charges of defamation, supporting terrorism, inciting hatred, tax evasion, and drug possession;
  • Emin Abdullayev and Adnan Hajizade, the youth activists and video bloggers who spent nearly a year and a half in prison on charges of hooliganism after posting to YouTube a satirical video critical of the authorities;
  • Ganimat Zahid, the Editor-In-Chief of the critical opposition newspaper Azadliq who spent more than two years in prison on charges of hooliganism and inflicting minor bodily harm.

In light of the 26 January 2012 meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, the NGOs underscore the gravity of the situation of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. PACE must hold Azerbaijan accountable for its behaviour as a Council of Europe Member State.

The NGOs call on PACE to take immediate action to address this situation, including:

  • Demanding the immediate and unconditional release of those currently imprisoned on politically motivated charges and the cessation of arrests of persons for politically motivated reasons in Azerbaijan;
  • Taking every possible measure to ensure cooperation by the Azerbaijani authorities with the Special Rapporteur on Political Prisoners, including by immediately granting him a visa to undertake a visit to the country per his mandate;
  • Increasing efforts to monitor Azerbaijan’s compliance with its obligations under the European Convention, including calling for an immediate visit to the country by the Co-rapporteurs for the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Azerbaijan, including to the exclave of Nakhchivan, to assess the current situation and to follow up on concerns raised in their May 2010 report on the functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan;
  • Reviewing Azerbaijan’s implementation of the recommendations made in Resolution 1750 (2010) on the functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan and taking immediate action to address shortcomings;
  • Calling for the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to intensify efforts to ensure Azerbaijan’s execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, particularly those cases included on the list of the Special Rapporteur on Political Prisoners. 

More information about political prisoners in Azerbaijan:

Eynulla Fatullayev

After four years of wrongful imprisonment, journalist Eynulla Fatullayev was released ahead of Azerbaijan’s Independence Day on 28 May 2011. His release was welcomed by many in Azerbaijan and also by international media groups, human rights, free speech organizations that had campaigned on his behalf for years.

The Human Rights House Azerbaijan and the Human Rights House Foundation have been campaigning for the release of Eynulla Fatullayev since his detention, with Article 19, Index on Censorship, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Reporters without Borders, and many other international NGOs.

See “Wrongfully imprisoned Azerbaijani journalist released after four years in jail”

Emin Abdullayev and Adnan Hajizade

Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, two video bloggers from the Republic of Azerbaijan were arrested on 8 July 2009 on “hooliganism” charges. On 19 August 2010 this year, the Azerbaijani Supreme Court convicted Milli and Hajizade of hooliganism and sentenced them to two and a half years and two years of imprisonment respectively. They have been released in 2011.

Again with many other international NGOs, including Article 19, Index on Censorship, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Reporters without Borders, the Human Rights House Azerbaijan and the Human Rights House Foundation have campaigned for the release of the two bloggers.

See “Azerbaijani bloggers released”