Natiq Jafarli. Photo: RFE/RL

17 August 2016, 14:43

Rights defenders state pressure on opposition because of Azeri referendum

Azerbaijan is witnessing suppression of civil society and opposition, directly connected with the referendum on amending the Constitution, said the International Foundation "Human Rights House", calling on the authorities to "stop intimidating the opposition."

Natiq Jafarli, Elshan Gasymov, Togrul Ismail and Elgiz Gakhramanly were arrested on the eve of the nationwide referendum on amendments to the Constitution, the "Human Rights House" has noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 12, Natiq Jafarli, the executive secretary and co-founder of the movement "ReAl", was detained and arrested for four months. On the same day, on August 12, member of ‘Nida’ movement Elgiz Gakhramanly was detained. In the evening of August 15, Elshan Gasymov, and Togrul Ismail, two activists of the movement "ReAl", were detained in Baku, and the court found both activists guilty of disobeying the police and arrested them for 7 days.

On July 18, President Ilham Aliev signed a resolution to direct to the Constitutional Court the draft of the Act on referendum on amendments to the Constitution. On July 25, the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan recognized holding a referendum as eligible.

The draft amendments provide for the prolongation of the presidential term from 5 up to 7 years, the introduction of the provision on dissolution of the Parliament, and the establishment in Azerbaijan of the positions of Vice Presidents.

"Everyone should be able to freely and safely express his/her opinion at the referendum. Instead, we now see a new wave of repressions against civil society and opposition, directly related with the referendum," the website of the "Human Rights House" quoted on August 16 Ane Tusvik Bond, the Foundation's Regional Manager for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.

The Foundation "Human Rights House" has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to "stop intimidating the opposition and dissidents during the referendum." "Besides, we call on the Council of Europe to demand from Azerbaijan to observe the taken commitments and guarantee people's right to participate in public life during the referendum, including the right to the freedoms of expression and assembly," says the statement.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Faik Medzhid Source: CK correspondent

Комментирование через Кавказский узел
All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

February 21, 2025 22:22

February 21, 2025 21:10

February 20, 2025 23:59

  • In Chechnya, sending to war is method to punish drivers

    Chechen law enforcers are monitoring social networks and reveal violators of traffic rules, who may face both public reprimand and sending to the special military operation (SMO) zone. The effect of talks with law enforcers is caused by fear of the consequences, human rights defenders have noted.

February 20, 2025 23:55

  • Zarema Musaeva's arrest extended

    A court in Grozny has extended Zarema Musaeva's arrest until March 26 under a criminal case on disrupting the work of a penal colony. Meanwhile, her sentence under the first criminal case was due to terminate on March 23, the "Team against Torture" (TaT)* has informed.

February 20, 2025 23:15

News archive
Пн
Вт
Ср
Чт
Пт
Сб
Вс
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2