Friday Wrap-up: civil society appeal to the president, data on violations of rights and Embassy attack

Bəxtiyar Hacıyev. Foto: Meydan TV

The week of January 23-27 saw appeals to President Aliyev regarding the arrest of social activists, ECHR statistical data about Azerbaijan and an armed attack on the embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran

An appeal was made to President Ilham Aliyev regarding Avaz Zeynalli and Bakhtiyar Hajiyev

A group of civil society representatives appealed to President Ilham Aliyev about changing the detention measures of social activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and journalist Avaz Zeynalli.

In the petition, it is pointed out that there are serious concerns about the health of both persons in prison. The head of state is requested to help them replace the detention measures selected during the investigation with house arrest.

In the criminal case against Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, he is accused of hooliganism and contempt of court. However, Hajiyev claims that he was arrested by the Minister of Internal Affairs Vilayat Eyvazov’s orders.

Avaz Zeynalli was arrested on September 10, 2022, and accused of accepting large amounts of bribes related to Rasim Mammadov, the former head of the Baku Steel Company LLC. Zeynalli does not accept any of the charges brought against him and claims that he was arrested on a warrant, saying that such scenarios are being created to punish him for his journalistic activities and criticism.

ECHR data: most violations of the right to a fair trial in Azerbaijan

The European Court of Human Rights announced statistical information about its 2022 results.

Regarding Azerbaijan, the Court has adopted a total of 274 decisions and no violation of rights was found in only three of those decisions. The most violated right is the right to a fair trial, totalizing 126 decisions. Violation of the right to freedom was recognized in 96 cases and violation of the right not to be tortured in 57 cases. The right to property was recognized in 47 cases, and the right to association in 43 cases.

Out of 2,170 applications sent from Azerbaijan, 1,513 are awaiting preliminary investigation, and 619 are at the stage of communication with the government. Pending applications are being heard by a chamber or a single judge.

Armed attack on the embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran: there are dead and injured

An armed attack occurred at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran.

The attacker broke through the security post with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. It is reported that the head of the security service was killed as a result of the attack:

Tehran police chief Sardar Huseyn Rahimi announced that the person was arrested.

Stating that the attacker entered the embassy with two young children, the police chief added that the preliminary investigations show that the incident occurred due to personal and family problems.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev issued a statement condemning the attack on the embassy in Tehran. The head of state expressed his condolences to the family of senior lieutenant Orkhan Askerov, who died while protecting the embassy.

” We demand that this terrorist act be investigated soon and that the terrorists are punished. A terrorist attack against diplomatic missions is unacceptable,” added Ilham Aliyev.

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