AZERBAIJANI HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER RASUL JAFAROV SENTENCED TO 6.5 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT

18:29 16/04/2015 >> LAW

Rasul Jafarov, a well-known human rights defender, “Art for Democracy”
campaign organizer, was sentenced to 6.5 years’ imprisonment in
Azerbaijan. The verdict was brought in by the judge Eldar Ismayilov
in the Baku court of grave crimes on April 16. Jafarov is banned
taking up any post for three years after his release, Azerbaijani
information agency Turan reports.

According to the article, after the verdict was announced, Jafarov
said he considered it to be trumped up and politically motivated. The
court did not prove any of the charges brought against the human
rights defender. All of the prosecution witnesses testified in favor
of the human rights defender, and the process actually proved his
complete innocence.

Following his arrest Jafarov said that he was persecuted as he
continuously focused attention on the issue of political prisoners,
held protests during the PACE session in Strasburg where Ilham Aliyev
was present, urged to boycott the European Games, the article reads.

Anastasia Miller, a human rights defender from the International
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), who had observed the process,
told the Turan correspondent that the trial of the human rights
defender Rasul Jafarov was featured by violations of international
standards regarding the protection of the human rights.

“According to the international standards, openness, publicity and
transparency of a trial are crucial to be provided. However, many of
those wishing were not able to get into the hearings for there was
not enough space in the hall. In spite of having a larger hall in the
Baku court of grave crimes, the process was held in a smaller room,”
Miller said.

According to the article, Miller also pointed to the judges’ refusal
of a numerous requests to turn on speakers in the hall to be able
to normally listen to those speaking. It created difficulties for
the observers, as well. She also highlighted the court’s refusal to
allow audio, video recordings and photoshoots.

Miller was not allowed to take a photo of Jafarov even during the
break of the trial. The court bailiffs took away her camera and gave
it back only after the trial, the publication reads.

“I did not see any evidence of guilt. The complainants declared that
they had not suffered any damage and did not consider themselves as
such. The lawyers showed the fiscal documents confirming the use of
the grants for the intended purpose,” the human rights defender said.

Summing up her observation of the process she came to believe Jafarov
was persecuted for his human rights activities, the publication reads.

Rasul Jafarov is an Azerbaijani human rights activist, who in December
2012 launched a campaign “Art for Democracy,” calling on young people
to stand up for justice through the arts, and not through violence. He
was arrested on August 2, 2014 on charges of illegal entrepreneurship,
tax evasion and abuse of power – charges he denies. The international
human rights organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights
Watch condemned Rasul Jafarov’s arrest. Amnesty International considers
him a prisoner of conscience.

Moreover, in 2014, spokespersons of EU commissioners Catherine Ashton
and European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood
Policy Stefan Fule made a joint statement expressing their concern over
the arrest of another well-known human rights defender in Azerbaijan,
Rasul Jafarov.

Earlier, during a PACE session in Strasburg Rasul Jafarov and several
other human rights activists made a report on political prisoners in
Azerbaijan. At the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE in Baku, Jafarov
and other activists held a public hearing on civil society issues.

Both of these events have caused a backlash in Baku.

Related:

Azerbaijani political prisoners Leyla Yunus and Rasul Jafarov nominated
for Human Rights Tulip award