The peaceful rally planned by the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) on the 19th of October has been accompanied by brutal interference by dozens of police officers which resulted in scores of citizens getting bodily injured, detained and arrested. In the run-up to the rally, politically-motivated criminal cases were filed against 2 members of Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, whereas 17 members faced administrative detention. Currently, at least 28 persons from Popular Front and 3 from Musavat with most of them being functionaries of the parties are in detention.
On 20th of October, both rally-goers and journalists faced brutal interference by police officers and got various bodily injuries during the rally demanding ‘No Violence Against Women’.
EMDS strongly condemns the arrest, torture and other inhumane treatment citizens faced for enjoying their freedom of peaceful assembly. Sequentially, EMDS demands the immediate release of citizens who are facing politically motivated criminal charges and administrative arrests regarding their participation in rallies and to hold police officers responsible who took part in violent and inhumane treatment of political activists and journalists and calls the Government to implement its international obligations in relation to the freedom of peaceful assembly.
You can download the statement here.
