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AZERBAIJAN: Youth blogger arrested
PEN International WiPC | RAN 68/12 02 October 2012
PEN International is alarmed by the continuing harsh treatment of journalists and activists in Azerbaijan as illustrated by the recent arrest of the youth activist and blogger, Zaur Gurbanli, who was seized at his apartment by police on 29 September 2012 and is now serving a 15-day administrative sentence. It is clear that he has been arrested solely for his criticism of the authorities. There are fears that his arrest could lead to further charges and a longer sentence. PEN considers Zaur Gurbanli to be detained in violation of his right to freedom of expression and calls for him to be freed.
The following is an Urgent Action Alert on Gurbanli’s arrest issued by Amnesty International today, 2 October 2012. PEN members are urged to write to the Azeri authorities following the guidelines provided.
Youth activist charged and Detained
On 29 September, opposition youth activist Zaur Gurbanli was detained in Baku, Azerbaijan by authorities from Azerbaijan’s Anti-Organized Crimes Unit. He was given 15 days in prison following a closed trial on the day of his arrest.
On 29 September, opposition youth activist Zaur Gurbanli, 25, was detained outside his apartment in Baku by plain-clothed officers from Azerbaijan’s Anti-Organized Crimes Unit. During a hasty telephone call to a friend the same day, Zaur Gurbanli said the men seized him apparently without explanation, saying they were taking him to the Yasamal District police station. When his lawyer visited the station, police denied he was there.
Officers also seized Zaur Gurbanli’s laptop and took Nida (a youth organisation campaigning for human rights and democracy) materials from his room. They also took a number of Nida leaflets and posters from the office of another NGO Zaur Gurbanli is involved in – Positive Change. The staff at Positive Change were forced to give their names, have their photographs taken, and to hand over their membership lists. Officers of the Anti-Organized Crimes Unit brought Zaur Gurbanli to the office without handcuffs or restraints, making their claim that he resisted arrest highly dubious.
Zaur Gurbanli was held incommunicado until 1 October, when his lawyer was granted access. He discovered that Zaur Gurbanli had been handed 15 days in prison on Article 310.1 on the administrative charge of resisting arrest. A statement released by the Ministry of Interior claimed that Zaur Gurbanli was being investigated for his possession of “illegal materials”. Azerbaijani authorities frequently falsely charge opposition activists with resisting arrest while they build a case against them.
Zaur Gurbanli is the chair of Nida and was involved in the Sing for Democracy campaign that persuaded the 2012 Eurovision winner Loreen to condemn rights abuses in Azerbaijan. A regular blogger, he recently posted an article criticizing government corruption and and discrimination, in which he ridiculed the inclusion of a poem by the President’s daughter as mandatory reading in the country’s school curriculum.
It is believed that he is being targeted because of his criticism of the government of Azerbaijan and for the peaceful expression of his ideas.
Please write immediately in Azerbaijani or your own language:
- Calling on authorities to drop all charges against Zaur Gurbanli related to his peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression as a political blogger and activist.
Please send appeals to:
Chief of the Anti-Organized Crimes Unit
Mirgafar Seyidov
Anti-Organized Crimes Unit,
7 Demirchizade Street,
Baku, AZ1072, AZERBAIJAN
Fax: +994 12 590 9699
Salutation: Dear Mr. Seyidov
Prosecutor General
Zakir Qaralov
President
Ilham Aliyev
Office of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic
18 Istiqlaliyyat Street,
Baku AZ1066, AZERBAIJAN
Fax: +994 12 492 0625
Email: office@pa.gov.az
Salutation: Dear President
Please check with the PEN office is sending appeals after 13 November 2012
For further details contact Sara Whyatt at the Writers in Prison Committee London Office: International PEN, Brownlow House, 50/51 High Holborn, London WC1V 6ER UK Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7405 0338 Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7405 0339 e-mail: sara.whyatt@internationalpen.org.uk
International PEN is trading as PEN International. International PEN is a company registered in England and Wales with registration number 05683997. International PEN is a registered charity in Englandand Wales with registration number 1117088. International PEN’s registered office is Brownlow House, 50-51 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6ER,UK.
