Federal Lezghi
National and Cultural Autonomy

Europe visited Azerbaijan

EP nd UNPO mission a studied the situation of Lezghins

Many Caucasian news agencies have already broadcasted news about the visit of Fact-finding Mission of European Mission and UNPO to Azerbaijan. The purpose of the visit was the acquaintance directly on a place with the problems of preservation of cultural and language identity of the Lezghin people. The initiative of the organization of this visit proceeded from UNPO and FLNCA.

As a part of the delegation of the mission there were deputies of the European parliament: Ksab Sogor and Mathias Piyendel, the deputy of the Belgian parliament Zhozefin Moyeman, the Head of office of UNPO in Brussels Maud Vanvalegem, the journalist of the "Le Mo" edition Zhuli Renyer, the expert in the Caucasus Aude Marylin, the secretary general of UN Dzheroin Zanberg, consultant of UNPO, expert in the Caucasus Andrew Svon, newspaper photographer Pietro Bruni.

The organizers developed the concept of this visit, difined the visit points in Azerbaijan. During this visit they met human rights activists, public activists and simple people. All information collected by them will allow increasing awareness of the European community, eurodeputies, experts, scientists and journalists about the problems of Lezghins and the Lezghin peoples in the Republic od Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that the reality which has opened by it shocked the European guests. Before this visit and the exit of FLNCA to the international scene practically anybody in Europe didn't know about existence of ethnic minorities in the Republic of Azerbaijan, about infringement of their rights, restriction of their freedoms, lack of opportunities to develop native culture.

Under the influence of promotion of official Baku in Europe there was an impression that the Republic of Azerbaijan is a mono national state with small percent of people of not title nationality. During the visit the European guests saw that Lezghins in the Republic of Azerbaijan are forbidden even to hang up signs in the native language on the shops and to sing the Lezghin songs on the area. The members of this delegation, on the basis of information received during the visit, plan convocation of a press conference for the European journalists which will be held by the head of group of European Parliament.

This press conference will open eyes of the European journalists on realities occurring in Azerbaijan in the field of observance of the rights of indigenous non Turkic peoples of the country. There is no state support of culture and mass media on Lezghin and other languages. There is no training program, there are no manuals, and methodologists are dismissed. In many villages simply there is no teaching of the Lezghin language.

Besides, all received information will be included in reports and resolutions of UNPO and the European Parliament on a situation with national minorities in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In April-May of this year in Geneva there took place the 50th session of UN Committee on the economic, social and cultural rights.The President of FLNCA Arif Kerimov also acted in it. He devoted his report to the divided situation of the Lezghin people, including and related to it the rutulsky, Tsakhur people and to their situation in Azerbaijan. In the performance Kerimov noted that "despite of the sharpness of many problems, it would be possible to solve the considerable part of the questions if the authorities of Azerbaijan didn't conduct so biased policy concerning the Lezghin and other people being indigenous people of this country. I mean absence of schools in the native language, republican newspapers and magazines, and also television in the native language, supported by the state".

After the speech of the President of FLNCA the 8th point was added to the Resolution of committee:

The committee is anxious with those minorities, and in particular Lezgians and Talish, continue to remain victims of widespread discrimination, in particular in the field of their employment, provision of housing, medical care and as appropriate (article 2).

The committee recommends that the State (Azerbaijan) used the best efforts for eradication of all forms of the discrimination directed against minorities; in particular the Lezghins and Talish, accurately declaring thus that it won't suffer any forms of discrimination or violence against people, based on their national or ethnic origin and will promote involvement of all population in this process. In this regard the Committee pays attention of the State to the general comment № 20 (2009) about non-discrimination in the field of the economic, social and cultural rights.

The cooperation with the international human rights organizations and structures is a very effective mechanism on influence on the authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan in their inducement to bigger paying of attention to the problems of Lezghins. As Baku is guided by Europe and the West, and tries to follow their recommendations. For example, in 2001 Baku signed a charter about regional languages. There were many hearings that behind the signing there will take place also the ratification, however still the document isn't approved by Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan.

As for the visit of Search mission of European Parliament and UNPO in Azerbaijan, a certain sort of the problems began already from the moment of crossing of the border. Fontier guards of Azerbaijan carped at that one of members of delegation in the passport had the Armenian visa.

The delegation was accompanied by the Lezghin human rights activist Ilham Murtuzayev and one of inhabitants of Kusar, voluntary agreed to help mission. Later public figure Shakhlar Sanayev joined the mission for a short term. In Kusar the members of the delegation were shown the shops and clubs, from which the signs in the Lezghin language were taken off; the area on which there was Lezghin concerts earlier and now there are exclusively Azerbaijani.

After the visit of the city of Kusar the guests went to Baku. There they didn't leave the hotel. Human rights activist Elnur Melikov, and also the representatives of the Kurdish community arrived in the hotel. The only place where the guests went in Baku is recently renamed Lezgi mosque. The community of the mosque and all Lezghin public was revolted with this fact.

The guests also had a conversation with the Azerbaijani human rights activist Hadidzha Ismailova. Now she is in a difficult situation, she is exposed to prosecutions from the authorities, she is compromised with removal of hidden videos from her private life, but she all the same doesn't give up. In the conversation with the guests from Europe she told that the Lezghins should have their own experts, human rights activists and public speakers in Azerbaijan, but unfortunately they don't have. Otherwise nobody will pay attention to their problems. And Lezghins have to go forward, put forward from the circle of new heroes. Otherwise, FLNCA alone will be able to make nothing.

After the conversation with Hadidzha Ismailova the members of the European delegation had a meeting with the lawyers of the Lezghins detainees the day before in Azerbaijan. They told the guests about their situation and showed the ropes of the current events.

Soon the Search mission of European Parliament and UNPO in Azerbaijan came to an end. Having collected the facts testifying to a situation with the rights of the Lezghins and other indigenous people of Azerbaijan, the members of the delegation will make the report on the carried-out work in September and will sound the assessment to processes occurring in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

 

 

From August 29 to August 31 the representatives of research mission of UN and EP were in Azerbaijan. According to Gozetci.az portal the delegation included deputy of EP Csaba Sogar, two deputies of Flemish Parliament Mathias Dipindel, Zhozefin Moyeman, the Representative of the main secretariat of the UN Zhoren Zanberg, the Adviser in UN Andrew Svon, the Expert in the Caucasus Marylin Ode and some journalists.

The purpose of their visit was the acquaintance on a place with problems of the national minorities living in the Republic of Azerbaijan, carrying out researches with the provision of national minorities in this country.

Besides, they also were interested in affairs of political prisoners and a political pre-election situation in the country. During the visit, they visited several regions of the northern part of Azerbaijan and then arrived to Baku. In Baku they held a meeting with the representatives of civil society of Azerbaijan.

The event was organized at the initiative of local human rights activist Elnur Melikov. The cochairman of the Committee on protection of the rights of the prisoner of conscience of Hilal Mamedov – Rafik Dzhalilov, and the journalist and human rights activist Samir Kazymly also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting the representatives of human rights community of the Republic of Azerbaijan told about human rights violations in detail. According to them in their country presentation of obviously false charges and application of repressions against journalists, politicians, public activists, dependence on judicial system and the leaders of the republic, contradictions of the most judicial system became self-evident. Civil society pins the hopes of situation improvement on the European court on human rights, as final instance.

The guests were provided the information about political prisoners, concrete about Gilal Mamedov, Ilgar Mamedov, Tofik Yagubly, the arrested members of "NIDA" Ilkin Rustamzada, Avaz Zeynally, Yadigar Sadykov and persons arrested for other motives.

Besides, they were told also about how Central Election Comission didn't register the Chairman of National Comission Rustam Ibragimbekov as the presidential candidate; about the diversions against candidate for president Jamil Gasanli from National Council; how the persons presented the leaders of the movement "El" were caused in prosecutor's office. At the meeting there also was a talk about the campaign carried-out blackmail against the journalist Hadidzha Ismail. The guests expressed the interest to the discussed subjects. They preferred not to hold a press conference because of the risk of own safety.

The Gozetci.az web site has devoted to this visit its own article:

From August 29 to August 31 the representatives of research mission of UN and EP were in Azerbaijan. According to Gozetci.az portal the delegation included deputy of EP Csaba Sogar, two deputies of Flemish Parliament Mathias Dipindel, Zhozefin Moyeman, the Representative of the main secretariat of the UN Zhoren Zanberg, the Adviser in UN Andrew Svon, the Expert in the Caucasus Marylin Ode and some journalists.

The purpose of their visit was the acquaintance on a place with problems of the national minorities living in the Republic of Azerbaijan, carrying out researches with the provision of national minorities in this country.

Besides, they also were interested in affairs of political prisoners and a political pre-election situation in the country. During the visit, they visited several regions of the northern part of Azerbaijan and then arrived to Baku. In Baku they held a meeting with the representatives of civil society of Azerbaijan.

The event was organized at the initiative of local human rights activist Elnur Melikov. The cochairman of the Committee on protection of the rights of the prisoner of conscience of Hilal Mamedov – Rafik Dzhalilov, and the journalist and human rights activist Samir Kazymly also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting the representatives of human rights community of the Republic of Azerbaijan told about human rights violations in detail. According to them in their country presentation of obviously false charges and application of repressions against journalists, politicians, public activists, dependence on judicial system and the leaders of the republic, contradictions of the most judicial system became self-evident. Civil society pins the hopes of situation improvement on the European court on human rights, as final instance.

The guests were provided the information about political prisoners, concrete about Gilal Mamedov, Ilgar Mamedov, Tofik Yagubly, the arrested members of "NIDA" Ilkin Rustamzada, Avaz Zeynally, Yadigar Sadykov and persons arrested for other motives.

Besides, they were told also about how Central Election Comission didn't register the Chairman of National Comission Rustam Ibragimbekov as the presidential candidate; about the diversions against candidate for president Jamil Gasanli from National Council; how the persons presented the leaders of the movement "El" were caused in prosecutor's office. At the meeting there also was a talk about the campaign carried-out blackmail against the journalist Hadidzha Ismail. The guests expressed the interest to the discussed subjects. They preferred not to hold a press conference because of the risk of own safety.

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