Human rights defenders call on Azerbaijani authorities to stop "psychological terror"

In Azerbaijan, according to the Public Committee against Repression and Torture (PCRT), 17 people were arrested in criminal and administrative cases during the quarantine regime.

"The Azerbaijani authorities use the quarantine regime imposed to fight the coronavirus pandemic for punishment and political revenge against its critics," the PCRT declared in its statement, received by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on April 15.

The human rights defenders note that, starting from the mid-March, "trumped-up criminal cases were instituted against Tofig Yagublu, Elvin Muradov, Elchin Mamed, Tezekhan Miralamli, and Alizamin Salaev." Besides, more than 10 journalists and activists of the opposition parties were subjected to administrative arrests.

Authors of the PCRT's statement strongly condemned "the policy of Ilham Aliev using the coronavirus pandemic against his political rivals."

The authors of the PCRT's document called on local and international governmental and human rights organizations, as well as leading democracies, not to remain indifferent to the problems of activists in connection with the "repressive policy of the Azerbaijani regime."

The PCRT urged the Azerbaijani authorities to release all political prisoners. The human rights defenders warn that if the political prisoners are infected with coronavirus, the authorities of the country will be fully responsible for the health state and lives of the prisoners.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 16, 2020 at 11:54 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.