Human Rights House Network Concerned about Detention of Human Rights Defenders in Azerbaijan

Human Rights House Network Concerned about Detention of Human Rights Defenders in Azerbaijan

On January 26, 2013, hundreds of people have demonstrated in Azerbaijan's capital to express solidarity with recent protests in the central town of Ismayilli.

Some 40 participants were detained, including prominent blogger Emin Milli, human rights defender Malahat Nasibova, human rights lawyer Intigam Alieyev, as well as investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova.

Integam, Khadija and Malahat were released after 4 hours detention, but Emin Milli got
15 days administrative arrests.

The arrests happen few days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan and call upon the authorities to stop attacks and harassment against human rights defenders. By arresting within a crowd of protesters specifically these prominent human rights defenders, Azerbaijan authorities show that they use detention as a tool to punish critical voices, few days after those critical voices expressed their opinions at the Council of Europe.

More information on the events: http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/19029.html.

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) vigorously condemns the arrest of all participants to the peaceful protest, including the prominent human rights defenders few days after the resolution was adopted by the Council of Europe.

HRHF calls upon the government of Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all protestors and human rights defender Emin Milli arrested on Saturday 26 January 2013, who still remains in custody and calls upon the international community to request from Azerbaijani authorities to stop punishing critical voices, including human rights defenders.

Human Rights House Tbilisi, Media Center