Defence of Azerbaijani activists treats ECtHR's decision as fair

The administrative prosecution of Azerbaijani activists violated their rights, and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) acknowledged that fact by awarding them compensation, believes advocate Asabali Mustafaev. Sagif Gurbanov, one of the complainants, also called the decision of the ECtHR fair.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 5, the ECtHR awarded compensation to 12 Azerbaijani activists who were arrested and fined for participating in peaceful protest actions. The Azerbaijani authorities are to pay over 100,000 euros to the activists.

"The complainants, being members of opposition parties and movements, were arrested or fined with the purpose to punish them for their participation in peaceful demonstrations or to interfere with participation," states the ECtHR in its decision.

In particular, Elchin Gasanov together with members of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) was detained during the dispersal of a peaceful demonstration on November 23, 2006.

"Ruslan Nasirli, Tyurkel Alisoi, and I were detained in connection with the PFPA's protest rally held against a sharp devaluation of the manat on April 5, 2015. They arrested me for 25 days, while Ruslan Nasirli and Tyurkel Alisoi were arrested for 25 and 20 days. We were accused of disobeying the police, although we were just slandered by policemen," said Sagif Gurbanov, the head of the PFPA's administration department.

In Azerbaijan, arrests are used in to persecute activists and critics of the power, the Institute for Democratic Initiatives states in its report.