The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has launched an investigation into 43 applications from Azerbaijan. Most of these cases concern complaints from convicts on the Nardaran events of 2015, the head of the group monitoring the decisions of the ECtHR Khalid Agaliyev told Turan. In particular, the court is examining the cases of 40 applicants prosecuted in this case.
These are members and supporters of the Muslim Unity Movement (MUM), who were detained during a special operation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the village of Nardaran on November 26, 2015 and in other regions of the country.
They were charged with preparing terrorist acts, open calls for terrorism, committing mass riots, illegal arms trafficking, participation in illegal armed groups, and an attempt to seize power by force.
The applicants, including MUM leader Tale Bagirzade, were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, up to 20 years. According to Agaliyev, the ECHR has combined the statements of these individuals into 4 groups of cases and is communicating with the government on them.
The applicants raise the issue of violation of their rights under Article 6 (right to a fair trial), 8 (respect for privacy), 9 (freedom of religion), 10 (freedom of expression), 11 (freedom of association) and 18 (limits on the exercise of rights) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The applicants are represented by 13 local and foreign lawyers.
The ECHR began investigating another case following a complaint by lawyer Yalchin Imanov, who was expelled from the Bar Association. “A lawyer Yalchin Imanov, known as a defender of human rights, was expelled from the legal profession after the facts of torture against his client were made public,” Agaliyev said.
Imanov disputes the legality of the punishment applied against him. He appealed to the ECHR with a complaint about the violation of the right to respect for private life and freedom of expression.
Two more applicants, Zohra Hajiyeva and Fatma Askerova, raise questions about the violation of their property rights, and in particular the alienation of their property by the Baku Executive Power and the failure to pay them adequate compensation.