Azerbaijan: defence claims rights violation of arrested PFPA activists

A court in Baku has rejected complaints against the 15-day-long arrest of three activists of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA): Sagif Gurbanov, Magerram Rzaev and Tofig Mamedov were accused of disobeying police; their defence claimed violation of their rights.

"All the activists were charged with the same offense: allegedly they cursed someone with an obscene language on a mobile phone in the street, when policemen made remarks and asked to stop it, they didn't obey," Tezekhan Miralamli, an employee of the PFFA's press service, has stated.

According to his story, Magerram Rzaev, has stated that he was forced to sign a confession protocol under pressure.

The "disobedience to police" imputed to the activists is a widespread charge, under which oppositionists are often brought to administrative responsibility, said Ogtai Gyulyalyev, the coordinator of the Centre for the Protection of Political Prisoners.

According to his story, "detentions and arrests were made on the eve of the actions announced by the opposition." "On January 26, February 23 and March 2, 2019, actions of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) had been scheduled," he has explained.