PACE rapporteurs condemn mass arrests in Azerbaijan

Three PACE rapporteurs monitoring Azerbaijan criticized the country's authorities for the mass detentions of participants of a protest action held in Baku on July 15 and the "fabricated" charges against activists.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that at night on July 15, in Baku, a march took place in support of the Azerbaijani army, which ended in clashes with the police. On July 31, the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) reported that the number of party activists detained after the rally had increased up to 46.

"We are gravely concerned by recent reports of mass arrests of people demonstrating following the clashes on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border," the PACE announced on its website.

The PACE document says that the PACE rapporteurs are "especially alarmed by claims that detainees were tortured into giving false testimony about a purported coup d'etat." "In this context, we are concerned in particular by the arrest and charges brought against Fuad Gakhramanly, an executive member of the PFPA," the PACE rapporteurs noted.

The PACE called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to ensure a "ban on torture" and a "fair trial," as well as respect of "freedom of expression and assembly."

Elshan Gasanov, the head of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners, noted that after the PACE resolution on political prisoners in Azerbaijan had been adopted in January, the situation has not changed for the better.