Rights defenders explain new wave of activists’ persecutions in Azerbaijan

The detentions of activists, Djalil Zabidov and Razi Gumbatov, was the expected authorities’ reaction to the growth of protest moods in the network, indicating a trend towards "tightening the screws", the human rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 7, Azerbaijani policemen detained Djalil Zabidov, an activist of the D18 movement. His detention may have to do with his critical publications in social networks, an activist of the movement has suggested.

Razi Gumbatov, an activist of the “Muslim Unity” movement, was also detained on July 7. He has been charged within a drug dealing case; the court placed him into custody, his advocate informed on July 9.

"The above authorities’ repressive measures were quite expected," said Emin Guseinov, Director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS).

"Due to the pandemic and restrictions, the population’s already difficult social situation has worsened even more. People were already dissatisfied with unemployment, poverty, social injustice and officials’ arbitrariness, while the increase in gas prices has further angered people. Authorities have long taken control over media, but they are unable to suppress criticism in social networks; therefore, they use the tactics of intimidating users by means of detentions and arrests," Mr Guseinov has emphasized.

In activists’ arrests we can watch the trend of "tightening nuts", said Anar Mamedli, the head of the Centre for Election Monitoring and Democracy Training (CEMDT).

"In order to suppress protests on social networks and prevent them from coming out into streets and squares, authorities are conducting selective and demonstrative detentions in order to intimidate citizens. It is in this context that we should treat the detentions of blogger, Djalil Zabidov, and religious activist, Razi Gumbatov,” Mr Mamedli told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 9, 2021 at 09:07 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.