Human rights activist Intigam Aliev awarded Homo Homini Premium

The Azerbaijani lawyer and the head of the "Legal Enlightenment Society" Intigam Aliev has received the Homo Homini Premium for the year 2012, awarded by the Czech human rights organization "People in Need" for his special achievements in human rights activities.

The awarding ceremony was held in Prague on February 28. "Mr Aliev had acted as a defender in more than 200 cases at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In 40 cases, the Strasbourg Court restored the rights of his clients. These were cases about violations of the right to vote, the freedom of assembly and speech, and the right to a fair trial," said Mark Svoboda, the spokesman of the "People in Need".

In his speech Intigam Aliev focused on the serious situation with human rights in Azerbaijan and the great importance of this award for supporting the civil society in the country.

"It is risky and dangerous to be a human rights activist in Azerbaijan. This can be fatal, as it happened with the journalist Elmar Guseinov and the writer Rafiq Tagi. Or, they can plant drugs on you and arrest, as it was the case with the satirical poet Mirza Sakit and the young activist of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Jabbar Savalan. Or, you can be beaten in the restaurant and arrested on charges of hooliganism, as it happened with the bloggers Adnan Gadjizade and Emin Milli. Or, they can use a hidden camera, film and place on the Internet a video about one's intimate life, as it happened with Khadidja Ismajlova, the author of a series of articles exposing corruption in the top echelons of power," said Aliev.