Video petition for detained Azeri youth activists, bloggers (updated)

In a little under 9 hours at time of writing, an appeal to consider the case of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, two youth activists and video bloggers in Baku, Azerbaijan, will be heard. Sentenced to two month’s pre-trial detention under what many consider to be fabricated and politically motivated charges, the appeal should have been heard on Friday, but Hajizade was not brought to court for still unknown reasons.

The case has been met with outrage in many international circles and there is even an Early Day Motion submitted for consideration in the House of Commons. Despite concerns that the two young men have been targetted by the state, with the authorities in Baku appearing unconcerned by their country’s image abroad, Hajizade and Milli’s supporters continue to campaign for their release. The latest addition in their arsenal of new media tools is a video petition blog.

On 8th of July while Azerbaijani youth movement leaders Adnan Hajizada and Emin Milli were talking to their friends in a restaurant two unknown sportsmen attacked and started beating them. As a result Adnan’s nose was broken and Emin’s foot was hurt.

Despite the fact that they themselves went to the police so as to complain as victims, the police detained them as suspects. The sportsmen who attacked them were released. No medical assistance was provided to Emin and Adnan during 48 hours. They were not allowed to meet with their lawyers.

After these 48 hours, the court has ruled for 2 months’ detention for Emin and Adnan without any proofs and grounding. Further investigation will proceed during these 2 months pre-trial detention. The investigation is fake. The court has turned into a theatre.

We turn to the entire world today:

Do not let Azerbaijani youth alone. Please support us. Do not allow Azerbaijani youth fighting for democracy to be silenced. link

Accounts differ, but if found guilty at any eventual trial, the two activists could face between 2.5 and 4 years in prison although it’s also possible that their pre-trial detention might also be extended indefinitely in an attempt to frustrate the activities of Hajizade’s OL! Azerbaijani youth movement and Milli’s AN network. Diplomatic missions and human rights activists in Azerbaijan are furious, and not least because none have been allowed access to the court hearings held behind closed doors.

Amnesty International has already issued a public statement.

Amnesty International is deeply concerned by the latest development in the continued clampdown against civil society and media activists in Azerbaijan. Emin Milli (real name Emin Abdullayev) and Adnan Hacizade were arrested on 8 July on a charge of ‘hooliganism’, and remanded in custody for two months on 10 July. Amnesty International believes that both may have been targeted for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Emin Milli and Adnan Hacizade are well-known youth activists who have used online networking tools, including Youtube, Facebook and Twitter, to disseminate information about the socio-political situation in Azerbaijan. Emin Milli is also a co-founder of a youth group named Alumni Network while Adnan Hacizade is a coordinator of the youth movement known as OL!

[…]

Amnesty International considers that if Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade are being detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression, their arrest and detention would violate Azerbaijan’s obligations to respect their right to freedom of expression. In such a situation, Amnesty International would regard them as prisoners of conscience, who should be released immediately and unconditionally. link

Meanwhile, others around the world are now starting to post their videos in support of Hajizade and Milli. Two of the first were Global Voices Online video editor Juliana Rincón Parra and Global Voices Online author Portnoy. Given Hajizade and Milli’s use of online video for activism, that perhaps was very appropiate indeed.

Other voices come from those who have known or have studied with Hajizade and Milli as well as those who have not.

The video petition site in support for Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli is here while a general blog — back online after what might have been a DoS attack — can be found here. There is also extensive coverage on The Frontline Club as well as Global Voices Online.

Update

As mentioned below in the comments section, Frontline’s Matthew Collin was at the appeal court for yesterday’s hearing and compiled a report for Al Jazeera English.