Statement by the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum on the disproportionately violent response of the authorities to the recent demonstrations in Baku, Azerbaijan

The EaP CSF Steering Committee decisively condemns the disproportionately violent response of the police during the two days of protests in Baku on October 19-20 and restrictions on the freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

We call on the government of Azerbaijan to respect the constitutional rights of the citizens, namely article 49 that guarantees freedom of assembly, as well as its international obligations, namely article 21 of the UN’s International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights protecting the freedom of assembly. All citizens detained on politically motivated criminal charges and administrative charges in connection to those two rallies should be released immediately.

The EaP CSF Steering Committee calls on the government of Azerbaijan to condemn such an excessive use of force and inhuman treatment of the citizens and demands the government to hold the responsible police officers accountable.

The EaP CSF Steering Committee also calls on the government of Azerbaijan to refrain from illegal wiretapping of civic activists and politicians. The private calls free of any illegal content between the representatives of the National Council of Democratic Forces and several key diplomatic representations in the country were published by pro-government media. Such practice is unacceptable and violates privacy rights and free speech.

Members of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum