HRW: charges against Azerbaijani activists are fabricated

The Azerbaijani government is using dubious charges of drug possession in order to silence the political activists who are criticizing the authorities, says the today's statement of the Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"The HRW has conducted inquiry into recent arrests of four activists. Three of the detainees faced ill-treatment during the custody at the police," says the statement entitled "Azerbaijan: Bogus Drug Charges to Silence Critics", the text of which was given to the "Caucasian Knot" at the Paris office of the HRW.

The statement of the HRW was positively treated by Rasul Djafarov, the head of the Human Rights Club (HRC).

The document focuses on the criminal cases against an active user of social networks Rashad Agaaddin (detained on 9 May), a theologian Talekh Bagirzade (detained on March 31), an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Dashgyn Melikov (detained on March 25) and a member of the movement "Nida" (Shout) Mamed Azizov (detained on March 7).

The arrest of the four activists in the spring of 2013 is an integral part of the attack against the country's civil society; and the process intensifies with the approach of the October presidential election, the statement continues.

As for the arrests of Azizov, Melikov, Bagirzade and Agaaddin, despite accusing them of illegal drug possession, at the police the activists were questioned, according to their stories, about their political activities. Besides, after the arrest they were not allowed to meet their chosen advocates; they were also subjected to physical pressure, says the HRW's statement.

Earlier, Orkhan Mansurzade, the MIA's spokesman, refuted the reports on the use of torture in relation to Bagirzade and Agaaddin.