Rights defenders call on to restore powers of Azerbaijani advocate Shakhla Gumbatova

The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) condemned the suspension from work of Shakhla Gumbatova, a well-known Azerbaijani advocate. In its joint appeal with four international human rights organizations, the IBAHRI called on the Bar Association of Azerbaijan to restore the Shakhla Gumbatova's powers.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 28, the Presidium of the Bar Association of Azerbaijan decided to suspend the Shakhla Gumbatova's powers. The advocate herself called the above decision tough and unfair. Activists have suggested that the Bar Association of Azerbaijan wants to remove Shakhla Gumbatova from defending the rights of people persecuted for political reasons.

The IBAHRI has initiated the joint appeal with four international human rights organizations, including Civil Rights Defenders, Freedom House, the International Partnership for Human Rights, and Lawyers for Lawyers, to the Presidium of the Bar Association of Azerbaijan. The appeal refers to "disproportionate disciplinary measures taken against the Azerbaijani human rights advocate Shakhla Gumbatova."

In their appeal, the human rights defenders call on the Bar Association of Azerbaijan to reinstate the licence of Shakhla Gumbatova and other advocates who are engaged in human rights activities and whose powers were suspended "on arbitrary grounds."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 31, 2019 at 07:02 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.