As a practicing lawyer, Gahramanov is known for his involvement in politically sensitive cases, including the defense of many political prisoners, and for his outspoken criticism of police abuse, which recently led to his six-month suspension from the state-controlled Bar Association.
Authorities accused him of hooliganism and placed him in three months’ pretrial detention.
‘We see the charges as politically motivated and intended to silence his defence of political prisoners and other vulnerable groups. They violate the letter and the spirit of the newly adopted Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer’, said Berit Lindeman, Secretary General.
His case illustrates the authorities’ growing efforts to extend the crackdown to the legal profession – continuing a longstanding pattern of repression against human rights defenders, civil society, the media, and the political opposition in the country. It also reveals the systematic problem of the judiciary being subservient to the executive, and criminal law is weaponized to stifle dissent.
Gahramanov’s arrest will further reduce the number of independent and courageous lawyers willing to take on politically sensitive cases. The arrest of Gahramanov is a deeply troubling sign of the further erosion of human rights and judicial independence in Azerbaijan.
‘Targeting a lawyer for defending political prisoners and challenging misconduct severely undermines the rule of law and is unacceptable’, said Berit Lindeman. ‘International human rights law pays particular attention to the independence of lawyers and imposes upon the authorities the obligation to ensure that lawyers can perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, or harassment.’
We call for Gahramanov’s immediate release and for full respect for his rights as a lawyer and as a human rights defender. The authorities should immediately release him, drop the charges, and reinstate his Bar membership, allowing him to work without undue government interference. Azerbaijan’s international partners should use bilateral and multilateral diplomacy to raise Gahramanov’s case and insist on his freedom.