HUMAN RIGHTS HOUSE NETWORK RELEASES STATEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH ARREST OF YOUNG BLOGGERS

On 11 July the Human Rights House Network released a statement in connection with the arrest of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade. It is said in the statement:

The Human Rights House Foundation, the Rafto Foundation, Norway, The Human Rights House Azerbaijan, the Human Rights House Sarajevo, the Human Rights House Skopje, The Belarusian Human Rights House in exile, the Armenian Helsinki Association and the Human Rights Center Georgia condemn the unlawful detention and call for an immediate release of Emin Milli (Abdullayev), Coordinator of Alumni Network (AN) Youth Organization and leader of ANTV Online TV, and one of OL Youth Organization’s coordinators, well-known video-blogger Adnan Hajizade. According to the information received by the Human Rights House Azerbaijan, Emin Milli (Abdullayev) and Adnan Hajizade were detained on 8 July 2009.  

The Human Rights House Foundation and ++… call for an immediate release of Emin Milli (Abdullayev) Adnan Hajizade from detention, which contradicts Article 5 of the European Convention to which Azerbaijan is a party. We would also like to remind that according to Article 11.1 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, "everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others."

We urge the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release the detained youth activists Emin Milli (Abdullayev) and Adnan Hajizade and to investigate the beatings of them.

Sincerely,

The Norwegian Human Rights House (on behalf of the following NGOs):

·     The Human Rights House Foundation

 

The Rafto Foundation, Bergen

Human Rights House Azerbaijan

The Belarusian Human Rights House in exile in Vilnius (Lithuania)

Human Rights House Sarajevo (on behalf of the following NGOs):

–   Association of Female Citizens "Renaissance"

–   Foundation CURE

–   Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina

–   Regional Co-ordinator for Youth Groups

–   Serb Civic Council – Movement for Equality – The Council of the Sarajevo Canton

–   Woman and Society Centre

Human Rights House Skopje (on behalf of the following NGOs):

– Association for Democratic Initiatives (ADI)

– The First Children’s Embassy in the World – "Megjashi"

– Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia

– Macedonian Women’s Rights Centre (MWRC) – Shelter Centre

– Polio Plus – Movement Against Disability

Armenian Helsinki Association

Human Rights Center, Georgia
 

Copies have been sent to:  

·     Delegation of the European Commission to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan

·     
·     Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Council of Europe

·     
·     UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders

·     
·     The OSCE/ODIHR, Human Rights Focal Point, Warsaw

·     
·     The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Azerbaijan

·     
·     The Human Rights House Network