Baku

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One of the blockading lorries. Photo via Turan.az.

Trucker protest briefly shuts down Azerbaijan’s largest highway

•2 min read

Four lorry drivers parked their vehicles across Heydar Aliyev avenue in Baku, halting traffic on the country’s largest highway. The men were protesting being denied permits that would allow them to transport goods across the Azerbaijani border. Traffic was blocked from approximately 6:00 to 11:00 on 17 February, before traffic police arrived on the scene, and the drivers moved their vehicles and returned home. A slogan written on one of the lorries read: ‘It is Anar Rzayev, the head of the

Police detain protesters. Video still via Meydan TV.

Azerbaijan

Dozens arrested in Baku during protest demanding release of Saleh Rustamli

by Ismi Aghayev

•2 min read

At least 40 protesters were detained for breaching pandemic health protocols during a protest demanding freedom for opposition Popular Front Party member Saleh Rustamli. He has been on hunger strike for nearly a month. The rally was held in Baku’s Fountain Square on 1 December. Most of those detained by the police have since been released. Many activists numbered among those who were detained, including former political prisoners Tofig Yagublu, Ilkin Rustamzade, Nigar Hazi. Yagublu and Da

Azerbaijan

Pardoned ‘political prisoner’ re-arrested in Azerbaijan

by Kamran Mahmudov

•3 min read

Bayram Mammadov, who was widely recognised as a political prisoner before being released two weeks ago in a presidential amnesty, has been re-arrested in Azerbaijan. On 30 March, Mammadov was charged with resisting police and sentenced to 30 days in jail by the Sabunchu District Court. His father told the BBC’s Azerbaijani service that he did not know the exact reason for his son’s arrest. ‘It’s said he allegedly scolded a policeman… And they gave him 30 days’, he said. Mammadov, a

Afgan Mukhtarli

Azerbaijan sentences opposition activist to 3 years for ‘smuggling money’

by OC Media

•2 min read

Azerbaijani opposition politician Gozal Bayramli was sentenced to 3 years in prison by an Azerbaijani court on 23 January. Bayramli was detained at the border last May while crossing from Georgia, and charged with attempting to smuggle €12,000 ($13,400) in cash. The Gazakh District Court, near the border with Georgia in western Azerbaijan, found Bayramli guilty of ‘importing contraband’. Bayramli insists the case against her is politically motivated. The authorities claimed Bayramli tried

Afgan Mukhtarli

OSCE calls on Azerbaijan to release illegally jailed journalists

by OC Media

•2 min read

The OSCE Media Freedom representative, Harlem Désir, has called on Azerbaijani authorities to end ‘restrictive measures detrimental to journalists’ freedom and safety’. The following day, authorities in Baku arrested another journalist, editor-in-chief of the Khural newspaper, Avaz Zeynalov. Désir expressed ‘grave concerns’ in his 18 December statement regarding the sentencing of Aziz Orujov, head of internet TV channel Kanal 13. The Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced Orujov to six year

Afgan Mukhtarli

Baku Court denies appeal from jailed opposition politician

by OC Media

•2 min read

The Baku Court of Appeals rejected an appeal from opposition politician Gozal Bayramli on 7 June, to be released from pretrial detention and be placed under house arrest. Bayramli’s lawyer, Zibeyda Sadigova, said that her client cannot receive the medical treatment she needs while in prison. ‘Bayramli has undergone three surgeries. So, we requested her release at least for humanitarian reasons’, Caucasian Knot quoted Sadigova. Bayramli, who is deputy head of the opposition Popular Front P