Human rights defender: Current repressions are leading the country to the abyss

Elchin Mammad spoke on the “Osmangizi” channel about any severe punishments for journalists arrested in the “Abzas Media case”, about recent court proceedings and the severe repressive situation in the country (1:07:00). The human rights defender believes that we are already at the peak of repression in the country and what is happening is aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear. All this contradicts Azerbaijan’s obligations to international organizations and the international conventions it has joined. The punishments imposed on journalists are discriminatory and legal nihilism, and are aimed at scaring people. It should be noted that the public prosecutor Rauf Malyshov requested that Ulvi Hasanli (12 years), Sevinj Vagifgyzi (11 years), Mahammad Kekalov (11), Nargiz Absalamova (11 years), Elnara Gasimova (11 years), Hafiz Babali (12) and Farid Mehralizade (12 years) be sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. In addition, the prosecutor requested that each of the accused be deprived of the authority to hold managerial and materially responsible positions for 3 years.