The Human Rights House Foundation is concerned with the statement of president Ilham Aliyev made at the Policy Academy on 2 July 2007. HRHF condemns the promise of unpunishment to the police for the violent dissolution of the demonstrations. HRHF always condemns the use of violence against oposition and independent journalists during national rallies. (06-JUL-07)

Placed on website by Shahla Ismailova/ HRH Baku

The Human Rights House Foundation condemns the statement made by President Ilham Aliyev on 2 July 2007 at the Police Academy where he underlined that no one would be punished in regards to the violent dissolution of the demonstrations before and after the Parliamentary elections November 2005. Despite Azerbaijan’s international obligations to prosecute the Members of the Law-enforcement Bodies who have Infringed Human Rights, the President openly supports the police violent actions, which will allow impunity to continue to be the rule in Azerbaijan.

The Human Rights House Foundation has earlier condemned the use of violence against opposition and independent journalists in the centre of Baku on 9 October 2005, where many of the journalists were beaten despite the fact that they identified themselves clearly as media representatives. We asked the Azerbaijani authorities to initiate an independent and impartial investigation of the violent outcome of the 9 October demonstration and make sure that those responsible for the attacks on journalists and other activists be brought to justice. The Human Rights House Foundation and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee asked the Azerbaijani authorities to initiate and immediate and impartial investigation of the violent outcome of the demonstration on 26 November 2005 to make sure that those responsible for ordering and executing the attacks on civilians will be brought to justice.

The conclusion of the civil investigation commission of human rights defenders stated on 1 March 2006 that the police behavior was in contradiction with Azerbaijan Constitution and international norms. The commission claimed that the high ranking people who gave the order to disperse the rally with such ruthlessness, the people who inflict injuries on rally participants, must be charged in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Human Rights House Foundation asks the PACE assembly and the OSCE meeting in Vienna to raise their concerns if impunity with the Azeri authorities and emphasize that such a statement of the Azeri president is unacceptable.