From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue May 01 2001 - 09:56:20 EDT
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
BULLETIN No11, May5, 2001
37, Azerbaijan Avenue
Baku-370000, Azerbaijan
Phone/fax: (+99412) 946304
(+99450) 314 1717
E-mail: mhajibeyli@azeronline.com <mailto:mhajibeyli@azeronline.com>
#1. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS PREPARES FOR A DEMONSTRATION
The Board of DemCongress has issued a decision on holding a mass action in late
May.
#2.TRIAL OF SHAKI OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS TO BEGIN
Most of the defendants are not provided with lawyers.
#3. "COURT WILL ISSUE SENTENCE BY ORDER"
In the opinion of Ahmad Oruj, holding the trial on Shaki incidents in Mingachevir
city informs that the sentence is known beforehand.
#4.MUSAVAT TO APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT
Because the Azeri court bodies refuse considering the complaints on the election
fraudulence
#5.POPULAR FRONT'S SUPREME ASSEMBLY HELD ITS SESSION
There have been adopted normative documents on the local branches of the party at
the session.
#6. JOURNALISTS WERE RELEASED
Fazil Gazanfaroglu: "The government authorities must officially apologize from
journalists".
#1. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS PREPARES FOR A DEMONSTRATION
The Board of DemCongress has issued a decision on holding a mass action in late
May.
On April 30th, the Board of Democratic Congress held its next session. The session
has discussed the situation in the regulation of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
after the talks held in Key West city of the U.S. and issued a decision on
conducting a Round Table to discuss the main principles towards preventing the
aggression of Armenia towards Azerbaijan.
In addition, the Board was given information about the activity of commissions
formed at the DemCongress. Kamil Veli Narimanoglu, chairperson of the Education
Commission and Gubad Ibadoglu, chairperson of the Economic-policy Commission, made
a speech with suggestions.
And the most important decision adopted at the session related with mass protest
actions. DemCongress has issued a decision on holding a demonstration under the
slogan "For the sake of country and democracy". There have been formed an
organizing committee for the preparation to mass actions. The next meeting is
scheduled to be held in late May.
#2.TRIAL OF SHAKI OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS TO BEGIN
Most of the defendants are not provided with lawyers.
On April 26, there has begun the trial of 27 opposition supporters arrested in
Shaki region last year. It is notable that those persons were detained during the
mass action held in Shaki on November 18th 2000 protesting the fraudulence of the
last parliamentary elections and scattered by police violence. There are activists
of the Musavat, National Independence, Democratic Independence, and Vahdat parties,
as well as neutral persons among the arrested.
Mirismayil Hadiyev, an attorney of Anvar Gulusoy, deputy chairman of Musavat's
Shaki regional branch, gave information about the process and stated that the
lawyers made a speech on the illegalities made in the course of investigation at
the first court sitting. The lawyers solicited on liquidating the investigation of
the criminal case and changing the preventive punishment. But the solicits have
been rejected. Hadiyev stressed that the suit is carried out on political order:
"The investigation was held bias and non-objective. The guilt of none of the
arrested was proved during the investigation. The arrest of opposition supporters
is related with their political affiliation. For example, while there are concrete
facts that Gulusoy was not in Shaki at that time, he has been charged with several
articles [organizing mass actions that cause violation of public rules; resisting
to a government representative; destroying other's property on purpose] of the
Criminal Code".
Hadiyev also added that most of the arrested were not provided with a lawyer.
However, according to the country's legislation, to ensure every defendant with a
lawyer is the task of court bodies. The next court sitting is appointed for May
14th.
#3. "COURT WILL ISSUE SENTENCE BY ORDER"
In the opinion of Ahmad Oruj, holding the trial on Shaki incidents in Mingachevir
city informs that the sentence is known beforehand.
While those arrested during the mass actions held in Shaki were residents of Shaki
region, their trial is held in Mingachevir city. And it has caused protest of the
attorneys and family members of the arrested persons. On showing his attitude to
this event, Ahmad Oruj, member of DemCongress Board and chairman of the Party
Azadlig, said that holding the trial in Mingachevir city is thought for preventing
the Shaki residents to support the arrested residents. "It once again confirms that
the sentence of the court is known beforehand. The court will issue a sentence
about them on the basis of political orders" said Ahmad Oruj.
#4.MUSAVAT TO APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT
Because the Azeri court bodies refuse considering the complaints on the election
fraudulence.
"We have decided to appeal to the International Court in connection with the
fraudulence of the parliamentary elections," said Isa Gambar, chairman of the
Musavat Party and Democratic Congress, in his statement at the media. In his words,
there have been supported the initiative of the Musavat Party on appealing to the
European Court and adopted a decision about it at the April 30th meeting of the
DemCongress Board. The chairman of DemCongress stated that there have been appealed
to all the court instances of Azerbaijan concerning the total falsification of the
parliamentary elections. But there have not been gained any results as a result of
political influences of the government. The court bodies of Azerbaijan have refused
considering the complaints on election fraudulence. "This is why, we shall continue
the struggle held for our rights at the International Court", stated Isa Gambar.
#5.POPULAR FRONT'S SUPREME ASSEMBLY HELD ITS SESSION
There have been adopted normative documents on the local branches of the party at
the session.
On April 28th, the Supreme Assembly of the Popular Front Party held its next
session. The session has discussed the socio-political situation in the country and
organizational questions. Mirmahmud Miralioglu, chairman of the DemCongress
Assembly and Popular Front Party, gave a lecture on the first question at the
agenda. There has been touched on 6-months activity of the Popular Front and
revealed the planned tasks. The Supreme Assembly during the discussion of
organizational questions has approved two new deputies appointed by the Popular
Front's chairman. There have also been adopted normative documents on the local
branches of the party.
#6. JOURNALISTS WERE RELEASED
Fazil Gazanfaroglu: "The government authorities must officially apologize from
journalists".
On April 28th, Heidar Oguz and Jasur Mammadov, correspondents of the newspaper
"Huriyyat", have been released from prison. Let's note that they were detained
during the protest action held by the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan [ADP] under
the slogan "Freedom to Political Prisoners" on April 21st. There was used violence
against the journalists while the police was scattering the action by force. The
mentioned journalists were brutally beaten by the policemen while carrying out
their tasks at the rally and taken to the police station.
Fazil Gazanfaroglu, member of the DemCongress Board and deputy chairman of the
Popular Front, has appreciated releasing the colleagues of the newspaper
"Huriyyat". In addition, he has demanded on the government authorities to apologize
from the journalists officially. In his opinion, releasing the newspaper's
colleagues does not take off the responsibility on the law-enforcement agencies
that illegally kept the journalists under arrest for a week by using force against
them.
It is notable that some of the members of ADP detained during the mass action are
still under arrest. Stressing this fact Gazanfaroglu stated that "they are arrested
illegally and must be released immediately".
_________________________________________________________________________
Members of the Democratic Congress
The Musavat Party
Azerbaijan Popular Front Party
Azerbaijan People's Party
Party "Ahrar"
Party "Azadlig"
Party of Modern Turan
Party of People's Freedom
Turkish Nationalist Party
Democratic Rightist Party
Party of Green's
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BULLETIN No11, May5, 2001
Editorial board: M.Hajibeyli, T.Zeferli, S.Abdullayeva
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