EU concerned over human rights violation in Azerbaijan

EU concerned over human rights violation in Azerbaijan

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Union issued a statement on human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Azerbaijan.

In the statement, the Union expresses concern about the recent demolition of houses and the expropriation of property in the Baku area.

“In particular, the EU is worried by the demolition on 11 August 2011 of the Institute for Peace and Democracy’s office in Baku. The issue has been aggravated by the fact that the destruction took place in spite of a valid Court Judgement of 24 May 2011. We call on Azerbaijan to thoroughly investigate this case and to honour respective legal provisions in the domain of property rights. The EU will monitor developments related to property rights in Azerbaijan and offers its co-operation to discuss the best international practices that can be used in this area.

The EU also remains concerned about the situation of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. We have been alerted by the fact that on 25 August 2011, six citizens of Azerbaijan have been sentenced to prison terms between 18 months and three years on the basis of their participation in demonstrations that took place on 2 April 2011 in Baku.

The EU expects Azerbaijan to fulfil its international obligations in the field of human rights, including those stemming from the European Convention on Human Rights,” the statement concluded.

On 11 August 2011, the building at 38, Shamsi Badalbeyli Street in Baku was demolished without any prior warning. The private property, owned by Leyla and Arif Yunusovs, as well as all documents and equipment that were inside the building, were completely destroyed within 30-40 minutes.

All the computers, office appliances, documents of the three organizations, as well as the library and personal archives of IPD chairwoman Leyla Yunus were destroyed. Demolition of the building was executed despite the Baku Administrative Economic Courtґs ruling in 24 May 2011, which stated the inadmissibility of destruction of the building without the final court decision.

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