The week of 3-7 June saw a former deputy arrested, a lawyer suspended, and ECHR decisions on violation of rights.
Soyudlu’s protests: former deputy and Russian citizen allegedly arrested for taking part in it
Nazim Beydamirli, a former deputy, has been detained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs based on a complaint of blackmail. The complaint states that Beydamirli demanded money from an individual and threatened to release embarrassing images if the full amount was not paid.
Beydamirli is being held as a suspect in the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime. He claims, however, that his detention is related to protests that occurred in the village of Soyudlu, Gadabay district.
Etibar Jabbarov, a Russian citizen, has also been detained in relation to the Soyudlu protests. He is accused of organizing the protests and creating a WhatsApp group for residents. However, residents of Soyudlu claim that Jabbarov and another individual mentioned in the events came to participate in a mourning ceremony and that the WhatsApp group was created during the pandemic.
Lawyer suspended from the Azerbaijani bar claims political reasons behind it
Lawyer Elchin Sadigov and two other lawyers have been suspended from the Bar Association, and there are plans to remove them from membership. The decision was made at a meeting of the Bar Association’s Presidium.
Sadigov’s suspension is based on a complaint filed by Eynulla Fatullayev, head of the “haggin.az” website, alleging that money was taken from the family of a former company head and given to Avaz Zeynalli, who is currently imprisoned.
Sadigov believes that the decision to suspend him is politically motivated and that it is related to his recent efforts in defending human rights and preventing torture. He has appealed to President Ilham Aliyev for support and to halt the alleged persecution and harassment against him.
The European Court of Human Rights announced ten more decisions regarding Azerbaijan
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) announced multiple decisions and rulings on applications from Azerbaijan, most of which were settled through amicable agreements between the parties and unilateral declarations by the government.
In one case, a decision was made on the merits. The case involved the dismissal of an individual from the prosecutor’s office due to a personal dispute with their ex-girlfriend. The ECHR found the dismissal to be illegal and a violation of the applicant’s right to respect for private life. In another, the applicant’s exit from the country was prohibited by a court decision, and his mobile phone was taken illegally. The applicant contested the violation of the right to freedom of movement and respect for private life before the Court.
Several other cases were settled through amicable agreements or unilateral declarations by the government. These cases involved allegations of violations such as pre-trial detention, non-implementation of court decisions, and other travel bans. Compensation was awarded to the applicants in each case, and the government was required to take specific actions to resolve the issues raised.
