2023-08-08 18:38:59
The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and other human rights organizations are deeply concerned about the conditions of arrest, detention and harsh imprisonment faced by civil activist and economist Gubad Ibadoglu in Azerbaijan.
Ibadoglu has been a supporter of democratic principles and socio-economic progress in Azerbaijan for many years.
Until the government’s forced shutdown in 2014, he was a leading figure at the Center for Economic Research, a non-governmental organization that conducts research on public financial management, good governance and budget transparency, the International Organization Against Torture said in a statement.
His desire to improve his academic training led him to lecture at leading universities in the United States and Europe, and he was recently a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics.
Gubad Ibadoglu is also the chairman of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Prosperity Movement.
“We urgently call on the Azerbaijani authorities to conduct an independent, impartial investigation into the detention and arrest of Gubad Ibadoglu and Irada Bayramova. We demand his immediate release, as we are sure that the charges against Gubad Ibadoglu are false and were made with political motives. In addition, we are also concerned about the harsh conditions of detention of Gubad Ibadoglu. His family said that he suffered from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and poor eyesight, and since his arrest, he has had difficulty obtaining the necessary medication, proper nutrition, and clean drinking water. His cell lacks air circulation, natural light and proper sanitary conditions,” the statement of the World Organization Against Torture states.
It should be noted that the use of excessive force, ill-treatment, denial of medical care and poor conditions of detention are inhumane and degrading treatment, which is strictly prohibited by both Azerbaijani legislation and international human rights treaties to which Azerbaijan is a party. The World Organization reminds.
The statement also highlighted the obstacles faced by Gubad Ibadoglu in his meeting with his lawyer.
On July 26, he was not allowed to meet with the lawyer, and on the 27th, he could not meet with the defense attorney because the investigator was present.
In addition, during the meeting, Ibadoglu’s hands were handcuffed and he was not allowed to use optical glasses.
By monitoring, eavesdropping on and eavesdropping on Ibadoglu’s meetings with his lawyer, the authorities prevented open communication and prevented him from documenting the possible physical and psychological abuse he suffered while in custody, the International Organization Against Torture later said in a statement.
“As an invited economics researcher and civic activist at the London School of Economics, Ibadoglu was doing his job and making a defensible contribution to the public debate, any accusation against him should not be politically motivated. The Azerbaijani authorities must respect and protect the right to freedom of expression, allowing him to freely express his opinion and criticism without fear of pressure or persecution. We are in solidarity with Gubad Ibadoglu, Irada Bayramova and their family in this difficult period and we will continue to do our best to establish justice and protect human rights,” the World Organization Against Torture said at the end of the statement.
The statement was also signed by international human rights organizations “Human Rights Watch” and “Human Rights House Foundation”.
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