Azerbaijani lawyers set up a league to help poor people

In Azerbaijan, lawyers have established a league for work with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to help low-income citizens bring their complaints to the Court. Residents of Azerbaijan need such an organization, especially after the abolition of the practice of representation of citizens in courts, human rights defender Elshan Khasanov emphasizes.

On November 7, 2017, the President of Azerbaijan signed amendments to the law on advocates. According to lawyers and human rights defenders, the new requirements for protection in courts will weaken legal protection of citizens in the country. In March, Azerbaijani activists called on for the return of the practice of representation of citizens in courts. They note that the abolition of such institution restricted the people’s access to reliable legal aid.

The league to work with the ECtHR was founded by lawyers Khalid Bagirov and Samed Ragimli, engaged in filing individual complaints of citizens to the ECtHR.

“The purpose of the creation of the league is to optimize the activity of sending individual strategic complaints to the ECtHR,” the league’s press release announces.

According to Khalid Bagirov, individual strategic complaints are claims filed by individuals that affect the interests of a large public group.

“For example, a person with disabilities has a problem with access to the nearest pharmacy because of the absence of a ramp. If local courts do not grant his complaint, he can appeal to the ECtHR. A resolution of the European Court will grant not only the complainant’s personal request, but will oblige the country’s authorities to equip all pharmacies with ramps, and thus, the Court’s resolution will make life easier for many people with disability,” lawyer Khalid Bagirov said.