It is reported that the chairman of the D18 Movement has started a hunger strike
“Ahmad Mammadli said that he started a hunger strike from the moment he was arrested.”
These words were spoken by Samir Sultanov, Secretary General of the Democracy 1918 (D18) Movement, at the press conference held on September 21 regarding the protection of Mammadli’s rights.
On September 20, the chairman of the D18 Movement, Ahmad Mammadli, was detained by people in civilian clothes on Islam Safarli Street in Baku. Later, he was placed under administrative arrest for 30 days by the decision of the Sabail District Court in Baku without ensuring the presence of his lawyer. He was charged with Article 535.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for deliberately disobeying the legal requests of a police or military officer while performing public order protection duties.
According to Samir Sultanov, the detention of the democratic movement’s leader is related to his political and pro-peace speeches. The activist said that with the release of Mammadli after a month, his rights to educaiton may be violated since on the day of his arrest, he was going to buy a ticket for an educational trip.
Afieddin Mammadov, a member of the Board of Directors of the D18 Movement, noted that they have informed international organizations- Amnesty International, Freedom House and others – about the arrest of Mammadli: “At the same time, we inform the embassies in the country about the illegal arrest of Ahmad.”
Zafar Ahmadov, co-founder of Defence Line, a human rights organization, said that according to the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, incitement to war is a crime.
“Someone’s opinion and expression may be harsh, but this does not mean that someone can be arrested for it.”
Lawyer Samad Rahimli said that there is a violation related to the detention of Mammadli, an illegality related to the application of an administrative error. The rights to liberty, fair trial and freedom of expression were also violated.
“It is necessary to pay attention to one issue, that the detention of Ahmad Mammadli due to his anti-war position creates a threatening effect against the few and quite courageous opponents of the war in Azerbaijan,” the lawyer said.
