Law 13:24 16/03/2015

Opposition leader facing pressure from Azerbaijani prison officials to sign confession requesting pardon from President

The government of Azerbaijan must comply with international demands and immediately set free prominent opposition leader Ilgar Mammadov, after the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe made a second call demanding his release, the human rights organization Amnesty International’s statement reads.

It is highlighted in the statement that the Azerbaijani authorities have ignored several requests for Mammadov’s release by the Council of Europe following a European Court of Human Rights ruling that he had been arrested without any evidence and that the actual purpose of his detention had been to silence or punish him for criticising the government.

“President Ilham Aliyev had the audacity to stand before the Council of Europe last year and declare that freedom of expression, association and assembly are assured in Azerbaijan. These have proven to be empty words as his government has continued to openly defy the European Court of Human Rights by refusing to release Ilgar Mammadov,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Europe and Central Asia Program.

As the statement reads, keeping an innocent man in prison is an ultimate act of disrespect for fundamental human rights. Ilgar Mammadov is behind bars for lawfully exercising his right to freedom of expression and must urgently be released.

Ilgar Mammadov’s lawyer recently told Amnesty International that his client is facing continuous pressure from prison officials to sign a confession requesting a pardon from President Ilham Aliyev in exchange for his release. He has refused as this would amount to him recognizing his “guilt.” The lawyer added that Ilgar Mammadov’s health is deteriorating because he is being held in a crowded, smoke-filled cell, along with 20 other inmates, the statement reports.

The organization reports that Ilgar Mammadov was arrested on 4 February 2013, on charges of inciting mass violence, after he travelled to report on street riots which had broken out in northwest Azerbaijan the previous day. Ilgar Mammadov was sentenced to seven years in prison by Sheki Court in Baku in March 2014. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in May 2014 that his arrest contravened the European Convention on Human Rights. The judgment became final on 13 October 2014, when the Strasbourg Court rejected the appeal from the government of Azerbaijan. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe demanded his release “without delay” on 4 December 2014. This request was ignored.

Related:

Committee of Ministers of CoE adopts resolution in case of arrested Azerbaijani opposition politician

PACE condemns termination of Azerbaijani lawyer’s activities who was defending civil society activists

Azerbaijani authorities blame oppositionists Tofig Yagublu and Ilgar Mamedov in organizing riots in Ismayilli; they are arrested 



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

15:05
Caretaker deputy justice minister sacked
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed a decree to dismiss Armenuhi Harutyunyan as Acting Deputy Minister of Justice....
14:35
Armenian parliament speaker confirms MP's resignation
National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has issued a statement on the resignation of Narek Zeynalyan as an MP from Armenia’s ruling Civil...
14:06
Visa restricts media access to key event in Yerevan
Visa has restricted the media access to the Cashless Forum 2024 to be held in Yerevan for the first time on November 22. Only...
13:36
Orban says he will invite Netanyahu to Hungary after ICC warrant
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee...
13:11
Temps to plummet in Armenia
Clear weather is expected in Armenia's regions on Friday and over the weekend. Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of the country...
12:32
Alexis Ohanian showcases rare Armenian coin
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has showcased a rare Armenian coin from 95 BC featuring Tigranes the Great, a famous Armenian king....
12:16
German foreign minister criticizes Azerbaijan's human rights record
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized the human rights record of Azerbaijan during her first appearance at the UN Climate Change...
12:06
Minister shares new images captured by Armenia's first satellite
Armenia's Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan has shared new satellite images from orbit captured by ARMSAT-1,...
11:36
World Cadet Chess Championship passes its halfway mark
The 2024 World Cadet Chess Championship has passed its halfway mark in Montesilvano, Italy. After 6 rounds, in the Open 12 category CM...
11:15
Iran to launch 'new and advanced centrifuges' in response to IAEA censure
Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the IAEA that...
11:00
Armenian, Iranian foreign ministers hold phone call
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Thursday had a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi....
17:07
Winter military draft starts in Armenia on November 25
The winter conscription for compulsory military service starts in Armenia on November 25 to run through January 31, 2025. The...
16:45
Russian spokeswoman told not to comment on ballistic missile strike live on air
Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova received a phone call during a live press briefing on Thursday telling her not to...
16:33
Belgian politicians call for immediate release of all Armenian prisoners held in Baku
In the backdrop of the COP29 currently taking place in Baku 20 members of the Belgian Federal Parliament, the Flemish Parliament, the Walloon...
16:06
Armenia thwarts large-scale drug smuggling attempt
Officers of Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC) have foiled an attempt to smuggle some 1,600 grams of cocaine into the country as part...
15:33
Armenian government reduces financial aid for Artsakh refugees
The Armenian government on Thursday approved a decision to reduce financial aid for the displaced Artsakh Armenians. Starting from...
14:45
Percival Everett wins National Book Award
Percival Everett has won the $10,000 National Book Award for fiction, one of the US’s most prestigious literary prizes, for James, his...
14:35
Pyunik v West Armenia match canceled
An Armenian Premier League match between FC Pyunik and West Armenia has been canceled. The 17th round match was scheduled for November 21....
14:06
Armenian Foreign Ministry denies cooperation with Azerbaijan on water management
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has denied claims of cooperation with Azerbaijan on transboundary water resources management. In a social...
13:36
No rain in sight for rest of the week
Clear weather is expected in Armenia's regions from Thursday to Sunday.  Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of the country...
13:06
Pashinyan thanks dismissed officials for cooperation
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed gratitude to the dismissed top government officials for joint work and wished good luck to...
12:36
Armenian church marks Presentation of Virgin Mary
The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Thursday, November 21. According to tradition,...
12:15
Luxembourg's parliament demands immediate release of all unlawfully imprisoned persons in Azerbaijan
Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies has adopted a resolution condemning the Azerbaijani government’s sanctions against the freedom of...
12:00
Davit Khudatyan appointed minister of territorial administration
Armavir Governor Davit Khudatyan has been appointed Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. Armenian President Vahagn...
11:45
Australia launches bill to ban social media for children under 16
Australia's centre-left government on Thursday introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16 and...
11:30
Armenia's Andranik Avetisyan wins gold at World Military Wrestling Championships
The 37th World Military Wrestling Championships kicked off in Yerevan, Armenia, on Wednesday, bringing together 400 participants...
11:10
Leopard missing for two years spotted in Armenia's Tavush
A leopard, that lost its front paw and disappered from Armenia's Vayots Dzor Province in December 2022, has been spotted in...
17:09
Armenian political analyst warns of risk of nuclear war
Political scientist Stepan Danielyan has warned of an imminent threat of nuclear war after the Russian nuclear doctrine change. President...
16:45
Rain, snow expected in parts of Armenia
Rain and snow are forecast for some parts of Armenia on Wednesday, overnight Thursday, late on Sunday and next Monday. Clear weather is...
16:22
GM Robert Hovhannisyan qualifies for FIDE World Cup
The European Individual Chess Championship 2024 has concluded. GM Aleksandar Indjic from Serbia became the champion, scoring 9 points...

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}