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“The next parliamentary election is not an election, but a cheap play scripted to fit Ilham Aliyev‘s desires, with predetermined outcomes…”

(Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms

The preliminary hearing of political prisoner Sahib Mammadzade, chairman of the AXCP Dashkasan Regional Council, took place at the Ganja Serious Crimes Court. During the hearing, lawyer Zabil Gahramanov filed a petition requesting that Mammadzade be released under house arrest. However, presiding judge Natig Aliyev denied this petition and ordered that Mammadzade remain in custody. The next hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2024.

Jailed journalist Avaz Zeynalli risks going blind. Although he had an existing issue with one eye before his detention, his second eye is now also in danger of losing vision. According to Time TV, his relatives have reported that doctors are reluctant to perform surgery in prison due to the risks involved. Without timely intervention, Zeynalli could lose his sight entirely and become blind. The head of the “Xural” internet television channel, Zeynalli, was arrested on September 9, 2022. The initial charge against him involved allegedly receiving 20,000 manats from the wife of Rasim Mammadov, the former head of “Baku Steel Company” LLC, a steel plant who is currently in prison. Additional charges were later brought against the journalist. Zeynalli denies the accusations, asserting that his arrest was politically motivated to silence him. International human rights and media organizations have recognized Zeynalli as a political prisoner.

Nigar Hezi, daughter of political prisoner Tofig Yagublu, reported on social media that she spoke with her father on the phone. She mentioned that, despite her father’s urgent need for a medical examination due to a serious health issue, he has not been taken for the examination despite repeatedly requesting it. Hezi stated, “It appears that the prison administration is extremely preoccupied. When Tofig Yagublu‘s health problem worsens, who will be held accountable for this? I should note that my father’s health issue arose after the horrific torture he endured in December 2021. I hope that the examination will be carried out as soon as possible, and based on the results, we will be able to provide Tofig Yagublu with the necessary medications. Additionally, I brought a radio for my father last week. Today, I found out that they still haven’t given it to him. While the entire prison is allowed to use radios, there seems to be a problem when it comes to giving one to Tofig Yagublu.”

Human Rights House Foundation stated on social media that political prisoner “Anar Mammadli’s detention should be understood as a direct reprisal for his legitimate work, & comes in the context of a dramatic deterioration in the humanrights situation in Azerbaijan.” The organization called for his immediate release, along with all other political prisoners in the country.

Meanwhile the head of the German delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), MP Schwabe, has launched a campaign to free Mammadli. Schwabe shared on the X platform: “The arrest of Anar Mammadli is absurd. Anar is one of Azerbaijan’s most valuable individuals. Anar Mammadli should be released before the COP 29 event. I urge you to join the ‘Free Anar’ campaign.”

The National Council of the Democratic Forces (Milli Shura) issued a statement regarding the upcoming snap parliamentary elections. The statement reads: “In Azerbaijan, the election institution has been destroyed directly by Ilham Aliyev‘s deliberate policies, leaving citizens with no interest or confidence in the elections. The public’s indifferent attitude towards the September 1 election stems from this. Three weeks of the campaign period for the announced election have already passed, but there is no sense of election atmosphere in the country. The unfortunate reality is that this is exactly what Ilham Aliyev‘s government wants.”

Accoridng to the statement, the Azerbaijan is going to this election with over 300 political prisoners, a suppressed free media, persecuted civil society and political opposition. “Election commissions are entirely under the control of the government, with all possibilities for fraud enhanced and at the disposal of local and central election commissions. Civil society, the opposition, and independent organizations have no opportunity to monitor the voting and vote-counting process. An unofficial ban on rallies and gatherings remains in force. The situation has reached such a point that the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs does not hesitate to openly declare that the election will be under total police control both during the campaign period and on election day. In short, Ilham Aliyev‘s government is preparing for another appointment of deputies under the guise of an election.”

The National Council declares that an election held under such conditions cannot reflect the will of the people and is not legitimate. The National Council views the September 1 election not as an election, but as “a cheap play scripted to fit Ilham Aliyev‘s desires, with predetermined outcomes, and considers participation in it unnecessary and detrimental from a national interest perspective.” The National Council supports the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party’s (AXCP) decision to boycott the September 1 election and calls on all political forces that care about national interests to make the same decision. Moreover, the National Council calls on the country’s citizens not to go to the polling stations on election day and to collectively boycott the fraudulent election show staged by a government that has usurped the people’s rights and freedoms and their opportunities for a happy life.

The statement conldued that the international community and the world’s democratic institutions should adequately respond to Ilham Aliyev‘s next election fraud and to give it the appropriate assessment it deserves.”

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Ogtay Karimov, has announced that security measures will be intensified during the parliamentary elections to be held on September 1. He stated that control around polling stations will be tightened, and ballot boxes will be escorted by police. Karimov made this announcement during a meeting of the Central Election Commission (CEC) regarding the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for September 1 in Azerbaijan.

“Individuals intending to obstruct the smooth conduct of the elections will be identified and dealt with promptly,” he said. He also mentioned that the police would prevent protest rallies on election day. “Necessary measures will be taken to maintain public order, ensure security, and prevent illegal actions not organized in accordance with the law on ‘Freedom of Assembly’ during the election campaign period.”

The news of the Deputy Minister’s speech about additional security measures was widely disseminated by state and pro-government media outlets. However, shortly after, articles published on APA, Azertac, and other progovernmental sites they were all deleted. Public Television, which shared initial footage of the Deputy Minister’s speech, also removed the video.

The chairman of the National Council, Jamil Hasanli, told “OC Media” that the statements made by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs during the CEC’s meeting indicate the government’s intention to fully control the elections. “They said the elections would be democratic and that opposition parties would participate, but this speech casts doubt on the democratic nature of the elections. His speech aims to intimidate society: if something happens, we will confront you,” Jamil Hasanli said.

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