Azerbaijan: two oppositionists expelled from university

Djavid Mekhraliev, a youth activist of the Party of "Classic" People's Front of Azerbaijan (PCNFA) and a 3rd year student of the Department of History of the Baku State University (BSU), was expelled from the university. This is the second exclusion of a young activist from university within the last week in Azerbaijan.

Earlier, Tural Abbasly, the head of the youth organization of the "Musavat" Party, who had faced criminal charges for disturbing public order, was expelled from his Master's programme at the Department of the same university.

As reported by Djavid Mekhraliev, he saw his exclusion order on April 12, although, according to his story, it was dated April 5. His exclusion was explained by his absenteeism at 158 hours of university lessons without valid reason.

"It's interesting to note that they put 'np' (not present) in students' attendance logbook against my name on April 5, although I was in class on that day. Moreover, in subsequent days the logbook said nothing about my expulsion; the record appeared there only on April 12," said Mekhraliev.

According to his story, according to the internal rules of the BSU, after 100 hours of missed lessons the student should be warned. "However, I received no warning. I was called to the dean's office only after my detention at the rally on April 2 and after my 3-day-long administrative arrest. They threatened me claiming that I had missed 158 hours of lessons," he said.

The young activist argues that he had not missed so many classes. On the other hand, in accordance with the Bologna system adopted by the university, the student cannot be expelled for non-attendance, even for academic debts, which he/she can pass in subsequent years.

Parvana Ibragimova, press secretary of the BSU, finds Mekhraliev's expulsion for missing 158 hours of classes quite lawful. According to her story, during the last school year this student also missed 132 hours of lessons.

However, Mekhraliev insists that he is right and plans to use "all legal means for getting restored at the university, including an appeal to the court."

Gyulyaga Aslanly, an activist of the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (CMDPC), said in his comment on expulsion of two young activists from the university that "these students are persecuted for political reasons - for their participation in protest actions." "They were also active in social networks. By banishing them from the university the authorities wanted to intimidate the rest of the youth," he said.

According to his story, the CMDPC plans to support the expelled students. Should it prove impossible to restore them at the university, the CMDPC wants to address international organizations for help in their further training at some European university, Mr Aslanly has added.