Support Adnan and Emin

On January 22nd, London will be part of a series of protests across the world calling for the freedom of the "Donkey Bloggers" 

Join us outside the Azerbaijan Embassy to protest against the unlawful imprisonment of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, and call for their immediate release. 

So don your best donkey suit and invite all your friends, and let's make some noise for Adnan, Emin, and countless other unjustly imprisoned activists in Azerbaijan.

Facebook link : "Donkey Bloggers" Protest

Today august 24, 2009, Mr. Ashurov, Adnan Hajizadeh’s lawyer, expressed himself at a press conference in support for the bloggers arbitrarily arrested and detained.

On that occasion, he revealed that “investigations” were over and that the hearing would be held in a near future before the Sabail Court of Baku. Ashurov added that the indictment was extended as the two bloggers are now suited for “deliberate inflicting of serious damage to health”, infraction connate with hooliganism offence.

The accusation is all the more shocking, for the two youngsters were not authors but victims of violence.

In addition Ashurov mentioned that Adnan’s father Hikmet Hajizadeh filed a complaint for violation of parents’ right to see their imprisoned child. Indeed Hikmet Hajizadeh was not allowed to see his son since placed in custody. His requests were consistently rejected without any justification, which is notably a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to private and family life).

Mr. Hajizadeh is however still quite diffident about the chances of success and stated that in case his complaint is rejected he will submit a request before the European Court on Human Rights.

One can but understand his pessimism when since July 8, 2009 one witnesses a parody of justice.

Let be reminded the nonsuit of all plaintiffs of the two bloggers, be it the procedures related to their pretrial detention, their custody, or the complaint filed for infringement of presumption of innocence, due to some statements of the Interior Minister prejudging Adnan Hajizadeh and Emin Milli’s culpability.

Azerbaijan is a “democratic republic” where one is free to speak as long as one avoids addressing issues as the Government, the condition of human rights, great industries, politics, mistreatment, the partiality of judges, oil, NGOs, foreign radios, the freedom of press, the market value of a donkey, etc. etc. etc.

Being a journalist or a dissident is not in principle imperiling to aggressions or imprisonment sentences, except for Fatullayev, Elmar Husseynov, Ganimat Zahidov, Agil Khalil, Leyla Yunus, Adnan Hajizadeh, Emin Milli, etc. etc. etc.

Apart from that, all is fine! We are well and truly in a democratic republic, with that precision mentioned, that the republic is hereditary and that the democracy of the stronger is always the best…