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On February 24, discussion of the criminal case against Rasul Jafarov, founder of the Human Rights Club, was renewed in the Baku Court on Grave Crimes. The Azerbaijan human rights defender, which was declared prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was brought to the court with handcuffs, just like detainees accused of grave crimes. Before the trial started the handcuffs were removed from him, but during the 15-minute break he was taken from the courtroom with handcuffs on his hands.

Leanid Sudalenka, chairman of the Homel city branch of the public association “Legal Initiative”, has lodged a complaint with the police department of the Homel Regional Executive Committee. He asks the police to identify the individual or legal person (IP-address), which administers the website gomelbest.com, and who threatens the children of human rights defender.

Гомельскі праваабаронца, старшыня Гомельскага гарадскога аддзялення рэспубліканскага грамадскага аб’яднання «Прававая ініцыятыва» Леанід Судаленка звярнуўся з заявай ва УУС Гомельскага аблвыканкаму. Ён просіць міліцыю ўстанавіць дадзеныя фізічнай або юрыдычнай асобы (IP-адрас), з якога ажыццяўляецца адміністраванне сайта «gomelbest.com» ў сетцы Інтэрнэт і з якога невядомы пагражае дзецям праваабаронцы.

Crimes committed during Euromaidan in November 2013 – February 2014 led to at least 114 deaths, including 94 Euromaidan activists, imprisonment for different terms of at least several hundreds of people, physical injuries to over a thousand of activists. The fate of 27 missing persons is still unknown, according to report.

On 13-15 February a conference on “Additional guarantees and immunities for advocates of human rights” was held in Chisinau (Moldova). It has become an important stage in the work of graduates and experts of the Human Rights House Network Program “International Law in Advocacy” to support human rights defenders, including human rights lawyers. During the event, lawyers from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine discussed the existing and additional tools that would protect those, who work in the field of human rights, and guarantee their security and independence.

Во вторник, 17 февраля российский юрист Илларион Васильев наблюдал слушание по делу адвоката по правам человека Интигама Алиева в Суде по тяжким преступлениям в Баку (Азербайджан). Свидетельство иллюстрирует то, что собой представляет зал суда в Азербайджане и как осуществляется правосудие в отношении одного из лидеров гражданского общества Азербайджана, арестованного в августе 2014 года в разгар беспрецедентных репрессий против гражданского общества.

11 human rights organisations urge the EU Special Representative for Human Rights to unequivocally remind the Azerbaijani regime on its responsibilities to protect human rights, as a member of EU`s Eastern Partnership Initiative and the Council of Europe.

С 13 по 15 февраля в Кишиневе (Молдова) прошла конференция «Дополнительные гарантии и иммунитеты для адвокатов прав человека». Она стала важным аккордом в работе выпусников и экспертов Программы Сети Домов прав человека «Международное право для защиты общественных интересов» по поддержке правозащитников, к которым могут относиться и адвокаты. В рамках мероприятия юристы из Азербайджана, Беларуси, Молдовы, России и Украины обсудили существующие и дополнительные инструменты, которые смогут защитить тех, кто работает в области прав человека, и гарантировать им безопасность и независимость.

The Prague Civil Society Centre is established to support civil society and human rights defenders in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. “Civil society in the region has tremendous potential yet it is under growing pressure“, says the Centre’s director Rostislav Valvoda.

On Tuesday, 17 February, the Russian lawyer Illarion Vasiliev observed the hearing of the human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev at the Court of Grave Crimes in Baku, Azerbaijan. The testimony illustrates what a courtroom in Azerbaijan looks like and how justice is conducted against one of the leaders of the Azerbaijani civil society, arrested in August 2014 in the midst of an unprecedented repression against civil society.

The Norwegian government recently presented a White Paper on Human Rights. It promises a more systematic recognition and protection of human rights. The timing is crucial- with increased pressure on human rights and human rights defenders across the world.

Azerbaijan Court started the substantial hearing of Rasul Jafarov’s case, a famous Azerbaijan human rights defender. On February 10, the accused person and three victims were questioned at the trial in the Baku Court on Grave Crimes. However, many questions remained unclear after the process. It is noteworthy that there were no links between the case materials and victim testimonies. The character of Azerbaijan court hearings is also very significant.