Minister concerned by sentencing of youth activists in Azerbaijan
7 May 2014 12:59 PM
Minister for
Europe deeply concerned by sentences given to members of the NIDA Youth
Movement in Azerbaijan.
Speaking on 6 May, David
Lidington, Minister for Europe said:
I am deeply concerned by the
sentences of 6-8 years imprisonment passed to eight members of the Azerbaijani
NIDA Civic Youth Movement. We have monitored these cases closely throughout the
trial. The Foreign Secretary raised his concerns about the detention of members
of the NIDA Youth Movement during his visit to Baku in December
2013.
I am particularly concerned by
reported shortcomings during the trials of these activists for the alleged
organisation of mass disorder and illegal possession of firearms and narcotics.
The UK will continue to raise its concerns about an increasingly worrying trend
of apparently politically motivated detentions and prison sentences being
issued in Azerbaijan.
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