The ministry at first claimed the death was due to skin cancer and stated that the burns and injuries found on his chest, back, and stomach were the result of radiation treatment. On August 28, Turaj Zeynalov died while in the custody of Ministry of National Security officials in Nakhchivan. After Asgarov family members came forward with their suspicions, Khalid Baghirov, the family’s lawyer, was suspended from the government-influenced bar association for allegedly slandering the police. Local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) found this claim less than credible based on autopsy photos of his injuries. Police stated that Asgarov died from injuries suffered when he fell several times while running from police. However, human rights monitors reported that at least nine persons died in police or military custody.įor example, on January 13, Elvin Asgarov died while being taken into the custody of Baku’s Nizami Police. There were no reports that the government or its agents committed any arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year. The government failed to take steps to prosecute or punish most officials who committed human rights abuses. Trafficking in persons remained a problem. Cases of violence against women were also reported. Pervasive corruption, including in the judiciary and law enforcement organizations, continued. The government continued to restrict the religious freedom of some unregistered Muslim and Christian groups. The government continued to imprison persons for political reasons, although authorities released some of these individuals during the year. Arbitrary arrest and detention, particularly of individuals considered by the government to be political opponents, and lengthy pretrial detention continued. Other human rights problems reported during the year included generally harsh prison conditions that in some cases were life threatening. A third major problem area was the violation of citizens’ property rights, including forced evictions and demolitions on dubious eminent domain grounds, and inadequate compensation. A second significant human rights problem involved the fairness of the administration of justice due to reports of strong executive branch influence over the judiciary, lack of due process, politically motivated imprisonments, measures against independent lawyers, and reports of torture and abuse in police or military custody that resulted in at least nine deaths. Applications to hold protests in Baku were repeatedly denied throughout the year. For example, throughout the year, but especially in the spring, several political protests calling for democratic reform and the government’s resignation were forcefully dispersed, and 15 protesters were sentenced to 18 months to three years in jail for their participation in such protests. The most significant human rights problem during the year was the restriction of freedoms of expression, assembly, and association. Security forces reported to civilian authorities. The government did not exercise any control over developments in those territories. Ethnic Armenian separatists, with Armenia’s support, continued to control most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the country and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. Although there were more than 50 political parties, the president’s party, the Yeni Azerbaijan Party, dominated the political system. November 2010 Milli Mejlis elections did not meet a number of key standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for democratic elections. In practice the president dominated the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. Legislative authority is vested in the Milli Mejlis (parliament). The Azerbaijan constitution provides for a republic with a presidential form of government.
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