Federal Lezghi
National and Cultural Autonomy

 

Youth activist Omar Mamedov was arrested on trumped-up charges and by political order, said at the press conference in the media center IRFS members of the Committee to protect the rights of Mamedov.

A member of the Civil Solidarity Party and head of the "Akhin” youth movement, a 19-year-old Omar Mamedov was detained on January 24, and the next day the court arrested him on charges of drug trafficking (Article 234.4.3 ); he can be imprisoned for 12 years.

However, the true reason for his arrest , according to his associates , is his activity in social networks. In particular, he was one of the administrators of the page "Selections from AzTV" in Facebook ((https://www.facebook.com/pazaztv?fref=ts), which housed the cartoons , collages, comments ridiculing authorities.

The head of the Committee to Protect Mamedov, a lawyer Alovsat Aliyev said that the accusation of drug trafficking is "far-fetched", Noting the increasing trend of youth activists arrested on similar charges.

The lawyer said that the real reason for Mamedov’s arrest was his criticism of bribery in education, protests against soldiers deaths, tragic suicide of war veterans. "Arrests is young people symbolize the arrest of Azerbaijan’s future," said Aliyev.

In turn , the activist’s father, Elyar Mamedov, also is convinced that his son was arrested for political reasons. He said that on December 31 he himself was summoned to the Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in the Ministry of Internal Affairs , where they demanded to make his son stop engaging in political activities and social network activity.

"After that , the arrest of Omar was expected," said the father. He said that on January 20 Omar returned from Cyprus, where he is studying at the university, and on January 21st he was summoned to Directorate for Combating Organized Crime to "prophylactic conversation" and was warned "to be careful." Three days later Omar was arrested.

"Today we are faced not only with the arrest of Omar , but also reflections on the fate of the whole youth. Some young people is brought up in the spirit of fawning and praise . Others grow free , thinking differently, and they are being persecuted for dissent," said in turn Civil Solidarity Party leader , Sabir Rustamkhanly. The Committee to protect the student’s rights intends to appeal to the President due to the illegal arrest of Mamedov.