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Day: December 5, 2024
Netherlands to suspend Georgia visa free
The Netherlands is calling on the European Union to suspend the visa-free regime with Georgia. This was announced by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kaspar Veldkamp. According to the minister, he plans to submit an official request to the European Union “to make it clear to the Georgian government that the path they have chosen will come at a cost.”
Visa-free entry to EU countries for Georgian citizens has been in effect since March 28, 2017.
Het geweld tegen demonstranten, journalisten en de arrestatie van politici in #Georgië is onacceptabel. Daarom zal Nederland de EU oproepen om afspraken met Georgië over visumvrij reizen op te schorten. Goed dat de Baltische staten al individuele inreisverboden oplegden. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/ounyGrvQR3
— Caspar Veldkamp (@ministerBZ) December 5, 2024
In a conversation with journalists ahead of the meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) ministers in Malta, Veldkamp also announced an appeal to the OSCE, requesting an investigation into the actions of the Georgian authorities.
During the trial of Ali Karimli, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP), 12 party members were detained. Four of them – Elchin Hacivelli, Rovshan Asparov, Bakhtiyar Huseynov, and Mikayil Ismailov – were brought before the Nasimi District Court.
According to a statement from the party, these individuals were subjected to physical abuse while in police custody, with one reporting injuries such as a torn nail. Ali Karimli’s bodyguard, Ruslan Amirov, was also reportedly beaten, though his current whereabouts are unknown. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has not yet commented on the situation.
In a separate case, Ali Karimli was found guilty of defamation under Article 147.1 of the Criminal Code by the Nasimi District Court, which imposed a fine of 1,500 AZN. This decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed by former AXCP member Aydin Aliyev, who had demanded a six-month prison sentence for Karimli.
Karimli has called the verdict politically motivated and has vowed to appeal. During the court proceedings, among those detained included prominent figures such as Vidadi Mirkamal and Ruslan Amirov. Some were released later, but details about the others remain unclear.
The conflict between Karimli and Aliyev dates back to 2019 when Aliyev was expelled from the party for his alleged opposition to its political course. Aliyev accused Karimli of defamation in media statements, which Karimli denied, asserting that his comments were truthful and consistent with his party’s stance.
The AXCP has described the entire legal process as a politically driven attempt to weaken the party and remove its leadership from political activity. The party’s statement claims that the government is using Aliyev, a former active member who later aligned himself with pro-government activities, as a tool to undermine Karimli and the AXCP.
The post AXCP Leader Ali Karimli Found Guilty of Defamation as Party Members Are Detained in Ongoing Political Struggle appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.