Month: December 2024
Trump’s approach to international alliances and trade agreements is poised to reshape global partnerships. His administration’s skepticism towards multilateral institutions and agreements, such as the BRICS, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Paris Climate Accord, suggests a pivot towards unilateralism. This shift could undermine global cooperation on critical issues like climate change, economic inequality, and international security, leading to a more fragmented and competitive global landscape.
This week saw journalists from “AbzasMedia” exposing poor conditions and violations at Baku Detention Facility, while Alasgar Mammadli requested house arrest due to health issues, and the date for Azerbaijan’s municipal elections was announced for January 29, 2025.
Conditions and Violations at the Baku Detention Facility Revealed in Open Letter by Journalists
Three journalists from “AbzasMedia” – Sevinc Vaqifqızı, Nargiz Absalamova, and Elnara Qasımova – currently detained in Baku Detention Facility No. 1, have written an open letter exposing the poor conditions there. They describe overcrowding, with women forced to sleep on the floor or share beds, leading to injuries. They also highlight the lack of basic necessities, including proper bedding, clothing, and hygiene products, which are supposed to be provided by the state but are either missing or substandard.
The journalists also point out that the second floor of the facility, which holds 170 women, has several cells being used for non-prison purposes, such as punishment cells or kitchens for guards. Despite regulations requiring detainees to receive appropriate bedding and personal items, the women are only given poor-quality goods. The food provided is also criticized for being insufficient and of low quality.
Finally, the journalists report that detainees are not receiving the clothing and hygiene items mandated by government regulations. Although a contract was signed with a supplier for these products, they are either never delivered or go missing in the facility, raising questions about resource mismanagement and the handling of funds allocated for detainee care.
Alasgar Mammadli Unsuccesfully Requests House Arrest
Alasgar Mammadli, a media expert from “Toplum TV,” has been in detention for nine months and has appealed for house arrest due to serious health issues, including a thyroid tumor requiring urgent surgery. In his court statement, he emphasized the negative impact his detention has on his family, particularly his two children’s education and well-being.
Mammadli argued that house arrest would not interfere with the investigation and that he had legal grounds for the request. He noted his public service record and denied any intention to obstruct the legal process. However, the Baku City Police Department opposed the request, citing the risk of Mammadli fleeing or hindering the investigation. Judge Akhundov rejected the appeal.
Mammadli believes his detention is politically motivated, part of an effort to silence independent media. The case involves accusations of smuggling, with the detainees claiming the evidence against them was fabricated. His lawyers plan to appeal the court’s decision.
Azerbaijan goes to the polls again
Municipal elections in Azerbaijan have been scheduled for January 29, 2025, as announced by the Central Election Commission on November 27.
On October 18, 2024, the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) discussed a draft law to amend the “Law on Municipalities’ Territories and Lands,” reducing the number of municipalities from 1,400 to 685. This change was approved by the Milli Majlis and signed into law by President Ilham Aliyev on November 25.
Azerbaijan has held five municipal elections so far, in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019, with the most recent one on December 23, 2019. According to the Election Code, municipal elections are held every five years, typically in December. Some experts view the postponement of the 2025 elections as contrary to the law.
The post Azerbaijan’s Friday Wrap-Up: Parliamentary Election Date Set appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
A part of the Georgian civil servants have made a statement on December 1, “unequivocally denouncing” Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement about the withdrawal from the EU accession negotiations process and condemning the disproportionate use of force against the peaceful protesters.
“We, the civil sector employees of Georgia, have served faithfully and in good faith and continue to serve not any political group, but the national interests of Georgia, which means protecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of our homeland,” the statement says.
Civil servants say they believe that, “in the light of today’s geopolitical challenges, it is vital for Georgia to integrate with the West and fully utilize all the mechanisms that this process offers” noting that throughout the years they have worked to contribute to the implementation of the EU Association Agenda, visa liberalization and approximation to the EU legislative space.” They note that they have worked “for a future in which every person can aspire to a life of dignity, prosperity, equality, development and happiness”.
The statement reads: “With this belief, we unequivocally reject the statement made on November 28 and strongly condemn the disproportionate crackdown on the peaceful protest of Georgian citizens!”
The civil servants confirm their “unwavering commitment” to the will of the majority of Georgian citizens, stated in Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia.
The declaration is signed by more than 200 civil servants from various state bodies, such as the Parliamentary Research Center, the National Bank of Georgia, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the LEPL Judiciary, the LEPL Service Development Agency, the State Minister’s Office for Reconciliation and Civil Justice, the State Audit Office, the Georgian Agency for Innovation and Technology, the Defenსe Institution Building School, the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, the Georgian National Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, etc.
The statement is open for signature and can be signed by any person employed in the public sector of Georgia.
The statement follows several statements by representatives of various ministries, as more and more people working in state institutions express their discontent with the GD’s decision to make a U-turn on the country’s foreign policy objectives.
Also Read:
- 30/12/2024 – NBG Employees Distance Themselves From GD U-Turn
- 29/11/2024- Education Ministry Staff Distance Themselves from GD EU-Turn
- 29/11/2024 – Defense Ministry Staff Distance Themselves from GD EU-Turn
- 29/11/2024 – Diplomats’ Joint Statement: Stopping EU Accession Negotiations Contradicts Country’s Strategic Interests
This week saw journalists from “AbzasMedia” exposing poor conditions and violations at Baku Detention Facility, while Alasgar Mammadli requested house arrest due to health issues, and the date for Azerbaijan’s municipal elections was announced for January 29, 2025.
Conditions and Violations at the Baku Detention Facility Revealed in Open Letter by Journalists
Three journalists from “AbzasMedia” – Sevinc Vaqifqızı, Nargiz Absalamova, and Elnara Qasımova – currently detained in Baku Detention Facility No. 1, have written an open letter exposing the poor conditions there. They describe overcrowding, with women forced to sleep on the floor or share beds, leading to injuries. They also highlight the lack of basic necessities, including proper bedding, clothing, and hygiene products, which are supposed to be provided by the state but are either missing or substandard.
The journalists also point out that the second floor of the facility, which holds 170 women, has several cells being used for non-prison purposes, such as punishment cells or kitchens for guards. Despite regulations requiring detainees to receive appropriate bedding and personal items, the women are only given poor-quality goods. The food provided is also criticized for being insufficient and of low quality.
Finally, the journalists report that detainees are not receiving the clothing and hygiene items mandated by government regulations. Although a contract was signed with a supplier for these products, they are either never delivered or go missing in the facility, raising questions about resource mismanagement and the handling of funds allocated for detainee care.
Alasgar Mammadli Unsuccesfully Requests House Arrest
Alasgar Mammadli, a media expert from “Toplum TV,” has been in detention for nine months and has appealed for house arrest due to serious health issues, including a thyroid tumor requiring urgent surgery. In his court statement, he emphasized the negative impact his detention has on his family, particularly his two children’s education and well-being.
Mammadli argued that house arrest would not interfere with the investigation and that he had legal grounds for the request. He noted his public service record and denied any intention to obstruct the legal process. However, the Baku City Police Department opposed the request, citing the risk of Mammadli fleeing or hindering the investigation. Judge Akhundov rejected the appeal.
Mammadli believes his detention is politically motivated, part of an effort to silence independent media. The case involves accusations of smuggling, with the detainees claiming the evidence against them was fabricated. His lawyers plan to appeal the court’s decision.
Azerbaijan goes to the polls again
Municipal elections in Azerbaijan have been scheduled for January 29, 2025, as announced by the Central Election Commission on November 27.
On October 18, 2024, the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) discussed a draft law to amend the “Law on Municipalities’ Territories and Lands,” reducing the number of municipalities from 1,400 to 685. This change was approved by the Milli Majlis and signed into law by President Ilham Aliyev on November 25.
Azerbaijan has held five municipal elections so far, in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019, with the most recent one on December 23, 2019. According to the Election Code, municipal elections are held every five years, typically in December. Some experts view the postponement of the 2025 elections as contrary to the law.
The post Azerbaijan’s Friday Wrap-Up: Parliamentary Election Date Set appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.