Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) strongly condemns serious legal violations and pressures against human rights defenders, media representatives, local and international organizations representatives and representatives of diplomatic corps during observation on the arrest event of “Alumni Network” Youth Association’s coordinator and ANTV online TV’s chairman Emin Milli (Abdullayev) and one of the “OL” Youth Organization coordinatiors, well-known internet videoblogger Adnan Hajizadeh.
İRFS declares , recently pressure events on journalists by civil dressed people, introduce themselves as citizens, began to be a case of tendency .
RATİ considers that this tendency accepted in the referendum of 18 March, in addition to the 32th matter of the Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic and police pressures to civil society members and MASS-MEDIA representatives with abusing of this changes.
IRFS declares that, appointing purpose to build legal state and civil dressed police behaviors are contradictory with each other and international obligations as well atrikes serious blow to the Azerbaijan’s image in international arena.
IRFS declares that , these unlawful actions of the police violate the rights envisaged in Azerbaijan’s Constitution and the European Human Rights Convention, as well as rights and freedoms envisaged in other international documents.
Specifically, IRFS, believe that the right to freedom of expression, right to freedom and inviolability, prohibition against torture and inhumane treatment, right to legal defense, and not to be subject to discrimination due to their socio-political views and work have been violated in this case.
IRFS calls, Azerbaijan government legal enfrocement organs, specially leaders of Ministry of Internal Affairs to end such cases and to punish person who done such affairs, to respect the rights of human rights defenders for development of civil society and not to violate Media representatives’ rights, which are reflected in the legislation.