President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Mr. Ilham Aliyev
Baku, Azerbaijan


Oslo, June 30th, 2004

Re:  Suppression of the freedom of assembly, the freedom of religion and the right to exert the protection of fundamental freedoms in the Republic of Azerbaijan


Your Excellency,

The international organisation Human Rights House Foundation (HRH) has closely followed the developments in Azerbaijan after the disputed elections of October 15, 2003, and finds that it is now compelling to turn to you to request your immediate intervention.

Today we received the alarming information that the Sabail Section of Management of Court Control of the Ministry of Justice has, in a violent raid this morning, executed the highly disputed court decision to expel the religious community of the mosque Cuma Mescid (Juma) in Icheri-Sheher, Baku. The Human Rights House Foundation considers the decision to expel the community from the mosque illegal. All informed parties are aware of the fact that the Muslim religious community in this famous Azerbaijani mosque has been legally registered with the Ministry of Justice since 1993. The rightful Imam of the mosque, Mr. Ilqar Ibrahimoglu has only recently been released after several months of detention based on charges that he called the Juma mosque community to participate in the October 16 clashes on Azadliq square. 

The Human Rights House Foundation is also alarmed by the events taking place in the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan, where the freedom of expression and association is seriously suppressed, and where opposition activists and representatives of non-governmental associations have been subjected to police violence, after which no action has been taken against the police officials involved. 

The Human Rights House Foundation remains concerned about the ongoing court-trials in Baku Court of Grave crimes  against seven opposition leaders.  The list of defendants includes Arif Hajili and Ibrahim Ibrahimli, Deputy Chairmen of Musavat, Panah Huseinov, Chairman of the Popular Party, Igbal Agazade, Chairman of the Hope Party, Rauf Arifoglu, Editor-in-Chief of the Yeni Musavat newspaper, Sardar Jalaloglu, Secretary General of the Democratic Party, and Etimad Asadov, Chairman of the Karabakh Invalids of War Association. They are accused of organizing the public riots of 15 and 16 October of 2003.  The court-trials are widely regarded as politically motivated and HRH has reasons to fear that the defendants’ principal human rights are not respected.  HRH reminds the Azerbaijani authorities of their obligations under international fair trial standards and the European Convention of Human Rights.  HRH also finds it significant that, whereas numerous members of the opposition have been jailed and many put to trial, not a single official of the police or other security force has been persecuted; despite countless witnesses reporting their excessive use of force and intimidation during the same October 15-16 events. 

It appears to the Human Rights House Foundation that the pretext applied by Azerbaijani authorities for systematic harassment and intimidation of what it considers Azerbaijani oppositional civil society is unfounded. The Human Rights House Foundation, therefore, would like to draw your particular attention to the wording of Article 1 of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders:  “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedom at the national and international levels.”
 
The Human Rights House Foundation calls for the Azerbaijani Government to immediately intervene to create an environment for civil society to act freely and without intimidation all over Azerbaijan, including Nakhichevan.  The Government of Azerbaijan should also provide the necessary protection for those individuals and organisations that work daily to promote basic rights and freedoms for all in Azerbaijan.  The Human Rights House Foundation  calls for an intervention to restore the rights of the religious community of the mosque Cuma Mescid (Juma) in Icheri-Sheher, and acknowledge Imam Ilgar Imrahimoglu as its rightful leader.  Equally, the authorities must ensure that the seven defendants of the trials at the Court of Grave Crimes be secured a fair trial, observing relevant international standards.


Sincerely yours,

Berit Lindeman
Project Manager
The Human Rights House Foundation, Norway


Copies of this letter are sent to:

The Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik

The Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen

The Norwegian Parliament, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs