How does the Azerbaijani government arrest those who criticize it?

Anar Mammadli spoke to “OC Media” before his arrest

Along with the recent crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan, restrictions on foreign funding have been increasingly tightened, against the background of which journalists and activists who were arrested were accused of foreign currency smuggling.

of “OC Media” prepared by it says so in the material.

The article mentions that in the interviews given by the families of the arrested, it was revealed that the income of the media workers is low and their livelihood is difficult.

60-year-old Matanat Jabbar said that his son was never a criminal. Matanat Jabbar is the mother of Mushfiq Jabbar, one of the six people arrested during the raid on the independent Internet channel Toplum TV and the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI).

Mushfiq Jabbar, Ali Zeynal, Farid Ismayilov, Elmir Abbasov, Ramin Babayev and Ilkin Amrahov are accused of foreign currency smuggling.

“I am proud of my son. Maybe I am poor, we are not rich, but I am proud of my family and children. When Mushfiq was called a “smuggler”, I wanted to open the door and scream because it was not true. This is very difficult for me. This charge does not suit my son.”

Speaking to “OC Media”, the woman said that after Mushfiq’s arrest, the family had a hard time because Mushfiq helped the family by buying medicine for his father. His father is diabetic, has high blood pressure, is blind in one eye and has had heart surgery before.

Mushfiq lives in the city of Sumgait, located about 30 kilometers northwest of Baku. The police raided his apartment in March. His family lives in a nearby settlement.

“She bought medicine for her father every week and called us every weekend. When he could not visit us, he would ask for the medicines and deliver them on Sundays. – his mother says: “Every month we spent at least 500 ($290) manats on medicines.”

In November 2023, another media outlet, AbzasMedia, was also raided by the police. Media director Ulvi Hasanli, deputy director Mahammad Kekalov, editor-in-chief Sevinj Abbasova, journalists Nargiz Absalamova, Elnara Gasimova and Hafiz Babali were arrested on charges of foreign currency smuggling.

All the arrested journalists denied the accusations brought against them and said that their arrests were related to their activities.

“If the government wants to arrest someone, it will find a reason”

Detention of independent journalists on charges of misappropriation of funds is not a new phenomenon in Azerbaijan.

Human Rights Watch deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, Rachel Danber, told OC Media that the government of Azerbaijan has been “maliciously abusing” laws to silence its critics for years.

“The government has recently passed laws that make it almost impossible for NGOs to fund themselves to operate independently, thus pushing these groups outside the law and leaving them helpless against arrest.” Denber said.

“For this reason, a large number of journalists, activists and political opposition were unjustly arrested and accused”, – he added. “These are disgusting practices that contradict Azerbaijan’s obligations under international human rights law and are extremely inappropriate for the country hosting COP29 (climate conference).”.

Anar Mammadli, the head of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Education Center, which is a supporter of ensuring local democracy, told “OC Media” before his arrest that journalists have been detained on various charges in the last ten years.

Mammadli emphasized that Azerbaijani journalist Avaz Zeynalli was arrested on charges of corruption in 2022, editor-in-chief of “Toplum TV” Khadija Ismail in 2015 on charges of tax evasion, and journalist and opposition politician Seymur Hazi was arrested on charges of hooliganism in 2014.

He also added that such measures have paralyzed legislation governing donations and NGOs and created ample opportunities to target critics of the government.

““If the government wants to arrest someone, they will find a reason.”– said Mammadli.

In 2014, President Ilham Aliyev amended the law regulating the granting of grants in Azerbaijan, making it possible for a limited number of institutions approved by the government to grant grants to Azerbaijani organizations and individuals.

Former lawyer Yalchin Imanov told the independent information agency “Turan” that the changes made to the laws related to non-governmental organizations and grants lead to classifying standard funding as smuggling.

“Accepting grant funds as an example of smuggling shows that the solution of the problem has not led to legal change, but to an absurd level”, – Imanov said.

He added that there are free media and independent non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan “they were deprived of the only guarantee of their existence”.

Mammadli also said that in 2014 and 2015, the creation and registration of such organizations became more complicated because a number of laws regulating non-governmental organizations were changed.

“New sanctions have been added to the legislation, which may affect the activities of NGOs once they are registered and their activities may be suspended unless clearly justified. The new legislation creates conditions to limit NGOs”.

He also added that after the changes, many local and international donors can no longer work with non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan. The suspension of the Embassy, ​​USAID and European Union programs had a serious impact on a number of non-governmental organizations of Azerbaijan.

Mammadli added that no serious measures have been taken to correct the situation, but solving the problem requires a “complex approach”.

“Pro-government NGOs are also not satisfied with the situation.”Mammadli added. “They also complain about this situation.”

Speaking to “Turan”, Imanov added that even if the allegations are true, it is completely inappropriate for the authorities to look into smuggling cases.

“Even if we assume that the cash foreign currency found in the houses of journalists or NGO representatives belongs to them, the task of the investigative bodies is to prove that these amounts were smuggled into the country”– Imanov emphasized.

Imanov also said that pro-government media outlets are breaking the law by publishing details of the investigation to slander government journalists and NGO workers.

“This is a clear violation of the right to the presumption of innocence and a violation of many norms of the criminal procedure law”, – Imanov said.

“Why do I live in a country where I lost my children?”

Ilkin Amrahov’s family also depended on him until Ilkin was arrested.

His father, Ayyar Amrahov, says Ilkin, 23, is the eldest of his two children and had worked at the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI) for just two months before his arrest, bringing home 400 manat ($240) a month.

“I could not work in winter and his mother suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. When he finished his initial bachelor’s education and started his master’s degree, he started looking for a part-time job..

He adds that his son was academically successful before getting a job at IDI.

Amrahov also notes that Ilkin’s university scholarship of 180 manats ($110) was cut after he objected to high grades given to students who did not attend classes. This practice is often associated with bribery or corruption.

Amrahov said that Ilkin’s brother Shahriyar faced similar problems after he was beaten and injured in the army and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia.

“When Ilkin visited Shahriyar in the hospital, Shahriyar’s doctor told me not to allow Ilkin to visit his brother because he demands that doctors follow the law.” – Amrahov said.

He added that he cannot understand why he lives in a country where he lost both his children.

“When Shahriyar went to the army, I lost him, now my second son has been arrested. We are proud of Ilkin and I would like to ask the police who arrested him if Ilkin is smart.” – Amrahov added.

“He was an educated student. He raised his voice against every social injustice.”

https://storage.googleapis.com/qurium/www.meydan.tv/az-article-azerbaycan-hokumeti-onu-tenqid-edenleri-nece-hebs-edir.html

https://www.meydan.tv/az/article/azerbaycan-hokumeti-onu-tenqid-edenleri-nece-hebs-edir/