The legal scope of the damage caused by Armenia to Azerbaijan during the First and Second Garabagh Wars is extremely significant. Considering the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, the destruction of residential areas and historical monuments, the displacement of nearly one million Azerbaijanis, the missile attacks on Barda and Ganja using prohibited weapons during the Second Garabagh War, and the current danger posed by landmines buried in Garabagh, the legal consequences Armenia may face in terms of punitive measures or compensation are of great interest.
Month: October 2024
Kobakhidze and Nransparency International – Georgia
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made an urgent statement suggesting it would be appropriate to revoke the status of Transparency International – Georgia (TI) as a “subject with a declared electoral purpose.” The Anti-Corruption Bureau assigned this status to the organization and its director Eka Gigauri on September 24, sparking widespread protests from civil society and opposition groups.
As a result, the organization was barred from monitoring the crucial parliamentary elections on October 26. TI announced plans to challenge the decision in court and still monitor the elections through volunteer efforts.
Various international organizations have called for the decision to be overturned. On October 1, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) expressed deep concern that Transparency International – Georgia is forced to halt its election monitoring activities.
The Prime Minister’s unexpected statement, effectively in favor of Transparency International – Georgia, was explained as a “necessity to stop manipulations.”
Irakli Kobakhidze also called on the Anti-Corruption Bureau to refrain from assigning the status of “subject with a declared electoral purpose” to any other organizations until the parliamentary elections.
At this point, alongside TI, only the civil organization “Choose Europe” has been given this status.
The concept of a “subject with a declared electoral purpose” is outlined in the Law on Political Associations of Citizens. Organizations and individuals assigned this status are required to submit financial reports to the Anti-Corruption Bureau and disclose bank account details related to income and expenditures linked to their electoral activities.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau stated that its monitoring revealed Transparency International-Georgia and its executive director, Eka Gigauri, were “actively involved in an election campaign aimed at both supporting specific political parties and urging against the support of others.”
In response, Transparency International-Georgia asserted that they “have always been and remain committed to Georgia’s European choice, as enshrined in the Constitution and aligned with the aspirations of the vast majority of the population.”
What else did Irakli Kobakhidze say?
● For any objective observer, it is clear that Transparency International – Georgia has an electoral agenda and openly engages in propaganda against the ruling party, using relevant financial and material resources for this purpose.
● Therefore, the decision of the Anti-Corruption Bureau can be considered fully justified from a legal standpoint and complies with the requirements of Georgia’s Law on Political Associations of Citizens. It is unsurprising that the correctness of this decision was upheld by the court of first instance.
● However, in the interest of the state and to prevent external manipulation of the electoral process, the first signs of which have already emerged, I find it reasonable to revoke the electoral agenda status from Transparency International – Georgia.
● Moreover, this approach should ideally extend to other similar entities, even though only Transparency International – Georgia has resisted the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s decision.
● Georgian society does not need any legal status for Transparency International – Georgia to draw its own conclusions and exercise caution.
Categories
Vidadi Isgandarli, an Azerbaijani opposition figure in exile well-known for his fierce criticism of the government, has died in France after being brutally beaten and stabbed in an attack at his apartment that his family says was politically motivated.
Oktay Isgandarli confirmed his brother’s death to RFE/RL on October 1 after doctors fought for more than a day to keep him alive.
The deadly attack on Isgandarli follows a similar pattern of violence against Azerbaijani opposition figures in exile; in 2021, another politician in exile, Mohammad Mirzali, survived being stabbed.
“My brother had no idea who the attackers were or what motivated the assault…. They did not speak, and they wore masks, making it impossible to identify them,” Oktay Isgandarli told RFE/RL.
“I have no doubt this is a politically motivated assassination. My brother survived a previous attack by approximately 15 assailants in 2022 here in France.”
Oktay Isgandarli said he received a desperate video call from his brother early on September 29 as he clutched a pillow to his abdomen to try and staunch the bleeding after being attacked by three masked men who had broken into his apartment in Mulhouse in eastern France.
“I contacted the authorities and provided them with my brother’s address,” he said.
“When I arrived, the police had cordoned off the area, and I was unable to speak with him before he was rushed to the hospital.”
Doctors said Vidadi Isgandarli was stabbed at least 21 times in the abdomen as well as blows to the body and head.
They managed to resuscitate him, but he never regained consciousness and succumbed to his injuries early on October 1, they said.
Vidadi Isgandarli was known as a vocal critic of the Azerbaijani government and President Ilham Aliyev, who has maintained a tight grip on power since 2003.
In 2010, Vidadi Isgandarli participated in parliamentary elections, which he denounced as fraudulent after opposition candidates failed to get elected. He then helped organize protests against the official election results.
Arrested in 2011 and charged with various offenses, including assault and interference with election officials, Vidadi denied the allegations, claiming they were politically motivated.
He was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison but was released early in December 2012 in a presidential amnesty.
Fearing further persecution, Vidadi, his brother, and their families emigrated to France in 2015.
With Azerbaijan set to host the climate conference COP29 in November, right groups have said it is imperative that the event is used also to shine a spotlight on the country and the deteriorating human rights situation there.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International noted that it and other human rights groups had documented the “widespread abuse” by the Azerbaijani authorities of the criminal justice system to crack down on human rights including the right to freedom of expression, often “detaining and falsely charging their critics with economic crimes.”
1 total views, 1 views today
Very interesting!! Tomorrow! 👇 pic.twitter.com/TMEkFxk0my
— Notes from Georgia/South Caucasus (Hälbig, Ralph) (@SouthCaucasus) October 1, 2024
