COP host Azerbaijan jailed activists over 'critical opinions': rights body / Photo: VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO - AFP/File
-
Sherilyn Smith Encourages Women to Embrace Scars as Symbols of Resilience
-
Korea's Severe Asthma Patients Blocked from Biologics by Restrictive Reimbursement Rules
-
Belgium Signs Contract for 20 Rheinmetall Skyranger Air Defence Systems
-
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Signs Pacts With London and Ottawa Institutions at CIIE
-
Spectrocell Strengthens Product Discovery and Customer Engagement with Bioz Badges
-
Fulcrum Metals PLC Announces Fulcrum to Increase Shareholding in Loyalist
-
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - November 10
-
New Gold IRA Investing Guide Explains How to Buy Gold in an IRA for American Consumers
-
RBI Data Reveals Divergence in Credit Card Spending and Debit Card Cash Withdrawals
-
First-time boat buyers advised to assess full ownership costs
-
Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium
-
Planning and preparation can reduce stress of interstate relocation
-
Sweet As app launches restaurant discovery platform
-
Two more arrested in Carrie Mullane suspected murder investigation
-
Phoenix Restaurants Offer Thanksgiving Dinner to Go for Pickup
-
MLA seeks inquiry into reported sectarian gestures on Ormeau Road
-
Mayo school appeals for information after convent and chapel vandalism
-
Louise O’Reilly attacks Simon Harris over unemployment remarks
-
Virginia overwhelms Arkansas 91-72 behind balanced scoring
-
Canadian soldier Aidan Goulding remembered at Vancouver funeral
-
Second major storm brings destructive winds and outages to British Columbia
-
Tayyab Arif hits 57 on Pakistan Test debut against Sri Lanka
-
Godzilla Minus Zero leads North American box office with $31.6m
-
Robert Trujillo discusses literacy and social justice children’s books
-
Advocate calls for coordinated support for children facing trafficking
-
Civil rights advocate William Bill Tucker dies aged 98
-
Medicare Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 7: Review Your Coverage Options
-
Pennsylvania Democrats secure state trifecta in midterm elections
-
US Treasury order targets bank transfers linked to crypto exchange MEXC
-
Godzilla Minus Zero sets foreign-language box-office opening record
-
Nvidia CEO Controversy Sparks Fears of Tighter U.S. AI Chip Curbs for Samsung and SK hynix
-
Eagles record six sacks as rushing attack struggles against Giants
-
Villeneuve teases James Bond casting at Los Angeles museum gala
-
Thames Water seeks to delay £12bn in debt repayments
-
Nottinghamshire launches specialist rural crime policing team
-
Newark boxing gym expands alternative education programme
-
China confirms talks over possible Xi-Putin-Trump summit
-
Democrats consider impeachment drive against Defence Secretary Hegseth
-
Rail journey offers a slower route to a Berlin city break
-
Energy bill plan could use HMRC income data to target support
-
Arsenal control title race as Manchester United fall into bottom three
-
Business owner earning £6,000 a month tackles £70,000 debt
-
Suspected Krakow gunman dies after attack that killed six
-
Nvidia chief faces inquiry after disclosing affair with suspected Chinese agent
-
Carrick backs Dalot after hostile reception from Manchester United fans
-
Comet returns as online electrical marketplace 14 years after collapse
COP host Azerbaijan jailed activists over 'critical opinions': rights body
UN climate conference host Azerbaijan has imprisoned activists and journalists merely due to their work and opposition to the authorities, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights said in a letter published Monday.
Michael O'Flaherty, the pan-European body's top rights official, in the letter to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev urged the immediate release of all such human rights defenders, journalists and civil society activists.
The Azerbaijan capital, Baku, is hosting the COP 29 UN climate change conference despite concerns over human rights under the rule of Aliyev, who took charge after the death of his father Heydar in 2003.
O'Flaherty said activists Akif Gurbanov and Alasgar Mammadli, arrested in March, and Imran Aliyev and Anar Mammadli, arrested in April, had been charged with foreign currency smuggling, tax evasion and forging documents.
Since 2023, more than a dozen staff and journalists of three media outlets -- Abzas Media, Kanal 13 and Toplum TV -- have been arrested on similar charges, he added.
Dated November 4, the letter was only made public now.
"I am concerned at reports that the criminal proceedings... were launched in regard to carrying out their legitimate activities," he said in the letter.
He added: "I ask the relevant authorities in Azerbaijan to immediately release all human rights defenders, journalists and civil society activists who are imprisoned for their legitimate work or for expressing dissenting or critical opinions."
He also expressed concern over reports of "ill-treatment and torture" of activists while in police custody, as well as restrictions on the right of access to a lawyer of their choice.
In its reply to O'Flaherty's letter, also published by the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan said it "rejects all allegations... without any reliable proof" that claim it does not uphold its international obligations.
It said that the activists cited by the commissioner "are accused of smuggling a large amount of funds in foreign currency" and were the target of a criminal case.
Azerbaijan is one of the 46 members of the Council of Europe.
The country has in the past been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, which is part of the body, for violating the European Convention of Human Rights which the court upholds.
L.Mason--AMWN
