On behalf of the emerging Human Rights House in Baku, the nine Azeri NGOs have sent a protest letter  where they appeal to the international community to raise their voices in defense of human rights respect and freedom of assembly, press and speech in Azerbaijan. (11-OCT-05)

Photo: EurasiaNet

Read the protest letter signed by nine NGOs, on behalf of the emerging Human Rights House in Baku:

9 October 2005
In the period of upcoming Parliamentary Elections in Azerbaijan in November, the Azerbaijani government continues to violate human rights and restrict the freedom of speech, assembly, press.

As a matter of fact, there was held a number of protest actions by the joint opposition forces during September-October for the conduct of free and fair elections in Azerbaijan, but the last 3 of them were not sanctioned (dated on 25 September, 01 October, 09 October) by the Mayor?s office of Baku. Those protest actions were held in different places of Baku, closer to the downtown and were accompanied by the severe police violence. Hundreds of protesters were detained and arrested; many of the protesters got the brute injuries.

The number of the detained people on the latest protest action on the 9-th of October was over 250 people, among them were 5 candidates to the Parliament: Eyyub Umudov (Azadlig bloc), Rashid Mansurov (Azadlig bloc), Vurgun Eyyub (Azdlig bloc, Saleh Ashrafov (Liberal Party), Avaz teymurkhan (Liberal Party). Many of the detained were released on the same day, but some of them have still been detained.

Our special concerns belong to the situation with the attitude toward the representatives of mass media. 12 journalists received brutal injuries from the side of police: Idrak Abbasov (Ayna-Zerkalo newspaper), Elbrus Seyfullayev (AzerPress News Agency), Mahabbat Orudjev (Yeni Musavat newspaper), Afghan Mukhtarov (a photo reporter from Yeni Musavat), Tofik Yagublu (Yeni Musavat newspaper), Rasul Mirhashimli (Uch Nogta newspaper), Orkhan Aslanov (ANS TV channel), Ramiz Najafli (editor-in-chief of Boz Gurd newspaper), Anar Shukurov (Leader TV channel), Elman Maliyev (Express newspaper, member of the Council of Press Monitoring Group), Sarvan Rizvanov (Turan News Agency, member of the Council of Press Monitoring Group), Ibrahim Mamedov (head of the Council of Press Monitoring Group). Two of them were taken to the hospital in the bad state and Idrak Abbasov has still been in coma. His colleagues are not allowed to visit him, despite of several attempts.

The peculiar fact is that almost all the beaten up people, reported their injuries on the heads. According to the received information the Ambassador of the Royal Norway Mr.Steinar Gil was subjected to rude attitude from the side of police while defending the victims? of police assault. 

We ? Human Rights defenders of Azerbaijan are having deep concern about the pre-election situation in Azerbaijan and call the international organizations to raise their voices in defense of human rights respect and freedom of assembly, press and speech in Azerbaijan. We believe that only the joint efforts can make Azerbaijani government to ensure the proper situation for the conduct of fair and democratic elections in Azerbaijan.

Sincerely Yours,

Novella Jafaroglu, Association for Protection of Women´s Rights after D. Aliyeva
Sahib Mamedov, Citizens Labor Rights Protection League
Saadat Bananyarli, International Society Human Rights Azerbaijan
Shahla Ismailova, Women´s Association for Rational Development
Elmira Alekberova, Center for ´EL´ Development Program
Eldar Zeynalov, Azerbaijan Human Rights Center
Avaz Hasanov,  Society for Humanitarian Research
Nadir Adilov, Azerbaijan Young Lawyers Union (AYLU)
Fuad Hasanov, Human Rights Centre Against Violence