ECtHR obliges Azerbaijan to pay compensation to activist for his arrest

The authorities of Azerbaijan are obliged to pay 4000 euros to oppositionist Bakhruz Gasanov, who was unreasonably arrested in 2012, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rules out. Bakhruz Gasanov himself calls the ECtHR’s decision fair.

The European Court of Human Rights released the decision on the complaint filed by Bakhruz Gasanov, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). The ECtHR found a violation of the Bakhruz Gasanov’s rights to liberty and security of person and a fair trial.

According to the decision posted on the website of the ECtHR, the complaint was filed against the detention and administrative arrest of Bakhruz Gasanov for a period of 10 days in July 2012, when he was a voluntary bodyguard of PFPA’s leader Ali Kerimli.

In his complaint, Bakhruz Gasanov noted that an unknown person approached him on the street and began to accuse the oppositionist of insulting his family. Policemen dressed in civilian clothes appeared immediately and detained Bakhruz Gasanov. He was charged with failure to obey the police and sentenced by court to 10 days of arrest.

Meanwhile, in his complaint to the ECtHR, the activist indicated that he was not allowed to contact an advocate of his choice and that he was arrested on the basis of false evidence. Courts in Azerbaijan did not grant his complaints, and Bakhruz Gasanov appealed to the ECtHR, the court’s decision notes.

Bakhruz Gasanov considered the decision of the ECtHR fair. “This is the recognition of the falsification of the case against me. This is also the actual confirmation of the political motives of my persecution,” Bakhruz Gasanov told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 28, 2022 at 01:03 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.