CoE Commissioner calls on to stop chasing Yalchin Imanov

The decision of the Azerbaijan Bar Association to stop the advocate's powers of Yalchin Imanov is a revenge for his publicizing human rights violations, Nils Muižnieks, the Human Rights Commissioner of Council of Europe (CoE), has stated and urged the Azerbaijani authorities to stop pressing advocates.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 20, the Presidium of the Bar Association of Azerbaijan suspended Yalchin Imanov's powers and initiated the judicial procedure for the termination of his advocate's status. He is removed from defending his clients till the end of the proceedings.

Mr Muižnieks has expressed concern over Yalchin Imanov's professional suspension. He called on the Azerbaijani authorities to stop pressure on lawyers and create conditions for their unhindered work, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The CoE Commissioner has reminded that Imanov was accused of "spreading false information" after he told from the words of his client about torture in Gobustan Prison and publicly condemned it. According to Mr Muižnieks, the proceedings against Yalchin Imanov "are a revenge for exposing human rights violations, which is contrary to international and European standards."

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