Politics 11:04 19/08/2016 World

Azerbaijani authorities start new wave of repressions in order to frighten population on eve of Constitutional Referendum

Republican Alternative (REAL) Movement’s executive secretary and co-founder NatigJafarliwas detained in Azerbaijan in the evening of August 12. He was arrested for four months by the court’s decision, the Caucasian Knot reports.

“It is a politically dictated move against REAL and the civil society as a whole,” REAL board memberErkinGadirlisaid.

AzerGasimli, another board member of REAL, believes that Jafarli’s arrest targets the initiative group, which collects signatures for registering an advocacy campaign against the Constitutional Amendments put to a referendum.

In lawyer JavadJavadov’s opinion, Jafarli’s arrest could have been carried out in the framework of a criminal case launched by the General Prosecutor’s Office in the spring of 2014 against local and foreign NGOs. Jafarli was a witness in that case as the manager of the civil society projects. ItisstillunknownwhatJafarliissuspectedof.

In its turn, Azerbaijani news agency Turan writes that according to the lawyer, the reason of the well-known economist and public activist NatigJafarli’s arrest arehis political and public undertakings.

In addition to this, the Caucasian Knot also reports that in the evening of August 12, MasudRzali – activist of the Khataicommittee of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) – was detained. Heisaccusedofrefusingtoobeythepolice.

OrhanSelimzade, Rzali’s companion, believes the young man's arrest to be politically motivated. “We are sure that the real reason of Masud’s arrest is that he has been carrying out agitation with the aim of involving the population in the protest planned by the National Council of Democratic Forces against the Constitutional Amendments in Azerbaijan,”Selimzade said.

Meanwhile, Jafarli’s representative RasulJafarovtold Turan that NatigJafarliwastransferred to Kurdakhani Detention Center, where he will be kept in the so-called “quarantine” for several days. 
According to him, foreign diplomatic missionshave been informed about the arrest of REAL executive secretary.

Turan’s analytical service writes that the real motive of Jafarli’s arrest is that the authorities wanted to neutralize him on the eve of the September 26 Constitutional Amendments referendum, which will further expand the presidential power making it absolute.

According to the article, the decision to neutralize Jafarliwas already made on July 28, when REAL announced its plans on creating an advocacy group throughout the countryagainst the referendum.

An economist,NatigJafarli is known as a government opponent in the sphere of the economic policy, Turan highlights. “He believes that the country is in a systemic crisis, and that economic reforms will not save the situation. Onlycardinalpoliticalchangeswill,”Turannotes.

Arresting Jafarli, the authorities aim to take preventive measures making it clear to their opponents that the referendum is a vital event for the president Ilham Aliyev.

Turan also informs that a press conference on NatigJafarli’s arrest was organized in the office of the movement REAL, in which NGO leaders and public activists took part. It was highlighted during the discussions that Jafarli’s arrest is a pressure on the political organization, whose power is increasing.

According to the news agency, Musavat party also condemned the new wave of repressions against the civil society. In its statement, the party considers the APFP activist MasudRzali’s30-day arrest, the threat to kill APFP leader’s relative ElnurSeidov, and the REAL movement’s executive secretary NatigJafarli’s arrest a “new wave of repressions aimed at strengthening the power in the hands of one family.

Meanwhile, the Caucasian Knot reports that NiDa movement activist ElgizGahramanovhas been arrested in Azerbaijan on drug charges. The activist’s companions believe the charges are politically motivated.

“Today Azerbaijani pro-governmental media reported that Elgiz is ‘an active representative of FetullahGulen’s network’. Seeing such statements, we understood that Elgiz has been arrested on politically motivated charges,”UlviHasanli told the Caucasian Knot's reporter. He added that he considers Gahramanov’s links to Gulen’s movement a fiction.

In his turn, the activist’s lawyer NematKerimlistated yesterday that he had not managed to meet his client so far. Hesaidthatheispossiblyunderpressure.

Meanwhile, Turan reports that in the evening of August 15,Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the pro-governmental media’s statements about launching a criminal case against the "supporters" of the US-based Turkish cleric FetullahGulen.

Reportedly, the leader of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), Ali Kerimli, was namedthe key figure of “Gulen’s network.”Turan earlier reported that Ali Kerimli called the accusations against him a nonsense.

“In April 2011, they claimed that I worked simultaneously with radical Sunni organization ‘Al-Qaeda’ and radical Shia organization ‘Hezbollah’,”Kerimli noted.

He also stated that the whole world is aware that the Azerbaijani authorities are corrupt and are ready to spread any kind of defamation in order to slander their opponents.

“Do not hope to prevent rallies using such dirty methods. The nation does not consist of a group of public and political activists, and 2 or 3 opposition organizations. Very soon, the nation will organize peaceful rallies and will cripple all your plans,”APFP leader commented on the statements about he and FetullahGulenpreparing a putsch in Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, according to the Caucasian Knot, two activists of REAL movement, ElshanGasimov and Tirgul Ismail, were detained in Baku on August 15 in the evening. They are both authorized representatives of the REAL's initiative group on referendum on the Constitutional Amendments.
Turan informs that on August 15, former political prisoner BakhtiyarHajiyevwas detained and transferred to the 27thdepartment of Yasamal police station.



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

Newsfeed

17:12
Armenia to face Georgia in Nations League play-off
The 2024/25 UEFA Nations League knockout stage and play-off ties have been confirmed following the draw in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday....
16:36
Hayk Marutyan agrees to debate with Tigran Avinyan
New Power party leader Hayk Marutyan has agreed to a TV debate with incumbent Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan. Marutyan, a former Yerevan...
15:45
Opposition politician: Pashinyan leading Armenia to 'final collapse'
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration is leading Armenia to the “final collapse” and Turkification, opposition...
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...

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?"}