Joint press release: ‘No More Business As Usual’ for Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan’ssix-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europecame to an end last week. During this period Azerbaijan unleashed anunprecedented crackdown against civil society — including the imprisonment ofhuman rights defenders and political activists who criticized the Azerigovernment.
“Thestatus of the Council of Europe are crystal clear “Every member of the Councilof Europe must accept the principles of the rule of law and of the enjoyment byall persons within its jurisdiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms,and collaborate sincerely and effectively in the realisation” of the “maintenance and furtherrealisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms”. The Azerbaijan actions reveal a new attack to theEuropean institutions and values. It istime to save these values, the commitments and the soul of the Council ofEurope. Now,” said Azeri investigative journalist, Khadija Ismayilova.
Wecall on the EU and its member states to use all the instruments at theirdisposal to put pressure on Azerbaijan in order to ensure it complies with itshuman rights obligations and it immediately and unconditionally releases allthose who have been detained on unfounded charges.
Thoseimprisoned during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship (14 May – 13 November 2014) include:
-Anar Mammadli, election monitor who received the Václav Havel Human RightsPrize.
-Leyla Yunus, justice advocate who received the French Legion of Honor, and herhusband, Arif Yunus.
-Rasul Jafarov, campaigner who criticized Azerbaijan at the Council of Europeand compiled with Leyla Yunus a list of 100 political prisoners in Azerbaijan.
-Intigam Aliyev, human rights lawyer who criticized Azerbaijan at the Council ofEurope
Pleasewatch No More Business As Usual forAzerbaijan here: http://youtu.be/t2sjdYGGbAk