Democracy For Azerbaijan

Rauf Mirgadirov is a journalist whom Turkey forcibly returned to Azerbqaijan without giving him permission to access a lawyer.   Azerbaijan had detained him as soon as he reached Baku International Airport on april 19, 2014.Court kept him for 3 monthes in pretrial custody. Mr Rauf has lived in Turkey with his family since August 2010 and since then he has been Ankara based correspondent for independent Azerbaijan newspaper Ayna and Zerkalo.   He has left Azerbaijan fearing threats and pressure as a result of his critical reporting. Mirgadirov was focusing mainly on key human right issues in Azerbaijan and Turkey. Tiral process: Mirgadirov has been found guilty of spying and sentenced to six years in prison.

Saday Shakarli is a poet who has published several books with the support of Ministry of Taxes. His last book was “ Qurd ureyi” ( the heart of Wolf). In the book he has mentioned about critical characters of former Azerbaijan president Heydar Aliyev and president now: Ilham Aliyev. The arrest took place after he published his book. Saday Shakarli was arrested based on a complaint filed by Asif Jahangirov ( advisor to Minister of Taxes).   Asif Jahangirov mentioned that Saday wanted 10.000 AZN from him and has threatened him by publishing discrediting reports on media. Only evidence against the poet had been the testimony of the advisor to Minister of Taxes.   Police have done investigating in his house and have taken his books and laptop. Poet think that his arrest is political order and has started hunger strike in prison.

Leyla is an Azerbaijan human rights activist as well a director of Institute of Peace and Democracy Institute. She is known for helping citizens to fight for their rights. In July 2014 the Azerbaijani authorities jailed Yunus under allegations of spying for Armenia. She had been sentenced to 8.5 years in jail on August 2015. Yesterday she was released due to her deteriorating health. Some information about Leyla Yunus’s career -In 1990 Leyla with Zardush Alizadeh formed Social Democratic Party with the aim of establishing moderate political voice. -During hostilities in the Karabakh conflict in 1992 She served as vice minister of Defence and Chief of Information Analytical Centre of Ministry of Defence. -In 1995 she became a director on Institute of Peace and Democracy. -In 2014 Leyla has led a working group on compiling a list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. She has been nominated for Human Rights Tulip Award In October 2014 Leyla was awarded with ...