The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Azerbaijan.
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about continuing acts of harassment against the Democracy and NGO Development Resource Centre, in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
According to the information received, on January 5, 2009, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Tax Ministry began inspecting the Democracy and NGO Development Resource Centre. According to Ms. Malahat Nasibova, Head of the Centre, the NGO has no information about why this examination is being conducted and when it is going to end.
The Observatory expresses its concern with the above-mentioned tax inspection, which seems to aim at hindering the activities of the Democracy and NGO Development Resource Centre, and at further harassing its members . Indeed, the Democracy and NGO Development Resource Centre Public Union employees have been recently subjected to repeated acts of harassment: on December 15, 2009, Messrs. Ilgar Nasibov and Vafadar Eyvazov , who both work for the Nakhchivan Resource Centre for Democracy and NGO Development [1] , faced physical harassment by university leadership and students while they were conducting surveys among students to learn the situation of corruption in the universities (See background information).
Accordingly, the Observatory calls upon the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe (CoE) to act in accordance with the CoE Declaration on Human Rights Defenders [2] , and to urge the Republic of Azerbaijan to comply with its duties under the terms of the above-mentioned Declaration and to abide by the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Background information:
On December 15, 2009, Messrs. Ilgar Nasibov and Vafadar Eyvazov were attacked, verbally insulted and seriously beaten by a group of 50 sport students and professors from the Nakhchivan State University on the campus of the university. Messrs. Ilgar Nasibov and Vafadar Eyvazov were trying to conduct an opinion poll in the framework of the project "Struggle against corruption - application of anti-corruption mechanism in the high schools of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic". The group urged the two human rights defenders to leave the University campus and they refused. The students then dragged out the two human rights defenders and beat them heavily.
Policemen who came at the scene of incident did not register the event and advised to appeal to the city police directorate. The officers of the city police directorate did not react and advised to appeal to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where their attempt to lodge a complaint was rejected because of ended working time.
Messrs. Ilgar Nasibov and Vafadar Eyvazov suffer from rib fractures caused by heavy injuries on the abdominal cavity and spine. According to the information received, the doctors refused to treat them, though both were hospitalised: both doctors were intimidated by local officials to stay away from providing medical help to the activists.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities in Azerbaijan, urging them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of all members of the Democracy and NGO Development Resource Centre as well as of all human rights defenders in Azerbaijan;
ii. Put an end to the harassment against the Democracy and NGO Development Resource Centre as well as against all human rights defenders in Azerbaijan;
iii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels", and Article 12.2, which provides that the State shall "take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of his or her rights";
iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Azerbaijan.
Addresses:
· Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 19 Istiqlaliyyat St., Baku AZ1066, Azerbaijan, Fax: +994 12 492 06 25, +994 412 92 28 68, E-mail: office@apparat.gov.az, president@gov.az, root@lider.baku.az
· Prosecutor’s Office, 7 Nigar Rafibeyli St., Baku, Azerbaijan, Fax: +994 12 492 06 82, +994 12 492 26 63, E-mail: prosec@azeri.com
· Minister of Internal Affairs of the Azerbaijani Republic, Lt.-Gen. Ramil Usubov, Fax: + 994 12 492 45 90
· Minister of Justice in Azerbaijan, Prospekt Stroitelej, 1 Baku Azerbaijan, e-mail: contact@justice.gov.az, Tel (99412) 430 01 16, Fax + 99412 430 09 81
· Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations in Geneva, Route des Fayards 237, CH-1290 Versoix, Switzerland, E-mail: geneva@mission.mfa.gov.az , Fax: +4122 901 18 44
· Azerbaijani Embassy in Brussels, Avenue Moliere, 464, 1050 Brussels, Belgium, Tel: +32 2 345 26 60, Fax: +32 2 345 91 85
Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Azerbaijan in your respective country as well as to the EU diplomatic missions or embassies in Azerbaijan.
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