Elections in Azerbaijan: post-election clashes turn deadly

"The Azerbaijani security forces have crushed post-election opposition protests by beating and severely injuring countless civilians," stated Peter Bouckaert, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, who witnessed the violence in Baku and interviewed more than a dozen of those injured by police beatings. "The violence could have been avoided, had the Azerbaijani authorities given political space to the opposition. But instead, for months the government consistently failed to allow peaceful political protest."

Thousands of opposition protesters took to the streets of Baku, the capital, at 2:00 p.m. on October 16. The demonstration quickly grew violent, in part because once the protesters began to congregate, police and military forces immediately surrounded them. The protesters drove away members of the security forces there and marched to Baku's Azadliq (Freedom) Square. During their march, protesters severely beat some police officers and soldiers, who remain hospitalized. The protesters also destroyed a number of police and military vehicles, and damaged government buildings along the way.

Soon after the opposition protesters arrived at Azadliq Square, several thousand riot police and military troops surrounded the entire plaza. Riot police and military stormed the opposition protest, using tear gas, rubber bullets, police dogs and truncheons. From the roof of a nearby building, a Human Rights Watch researcher saw police and military troops chase down protesters, surround them and viciously beat them. Many of the protesters continued to be beaten after they had fallen to the ground. Human Rights Watch observed a number of civilian pro-governmental supporters participating in the beatings with the security forces.

Police beat to death at least one person, Hamidagha Zakhidov, 52, whose body Human Rights Watch viewed after the protests. His body was completely black and blue, and his head smashed and bloody. Zakhidov had come to Azadliq Square that morning from the city of Saatli to "protect his rights," according to his brother. Another of Zakhidov's brothers was also badly beaten, but a clinic refused to treat him. Human Rights Watch is investigating numerous but unconfirmed reports of additional deaths. Footage shot by international television crews showing security forces gathering and removing several inert bodies from the square appears to indicate additional fatalities. Human Rights Watch called upon the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release information about the number of persons killed during the violent clashes.

So far, an estimated 300 persons have sustained serious injuries during the clashes, according to local hospital officials and other sources. Many of the wounded were unable to walk and had to be carried away from the square. Human Rights Watch has conducted interviews with more than a dozen of the wounded, all of who describe being surrounded by groups of riot police and military troops who beat them severely, leaving many unconscious. Police also attacked and severely beat local members of the press, even after they identified themselves as journalists. Also among the injured are several dozen police and army personnel.

The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials states that law enforcement officials, in carrying out their duty, shall as far as possible apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force. Whenever the lawful use of force is unavoidable, law enforcement officials shall use restraint and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. The legitimate objective should be achieved with minimal damage and injury, and preservation of human life respected.

"The consistent pattern of wanton violence against the political opposition suggests that the government has given the security forces free rein to use excessive force," Bouckaert said. "The government must fully investigate this and previous incidents, determine the chain-of-command, and prosecute those responsible for excessive use of force. The culture of impunity for such attacks must end."

Clashes continued in Baku in the evening of October 16, with heavy concentrations of riot police and military troops deployed throughout the city. The security forces continue to beat anyone suspected to be part of the opposition. Some of the victims interviewed by Human Rights Watch in the hospital were entirely unconnected to the opposition. Asif Aliskerov, 28, was shopping for shoes in the center of Baku when he was beaten unconscious by a group of about 50 members of the security forces.

The violent clashes of last Thursday followed Wednesday's presidential elections, which took place in a climate of constant intimidation and government-sponsored violence against the opposition. On the night of Thursday, government forces repeatedly and violently attacked the headquarters of the main opposition party, Musavat, severely beating at least 50 opposition members. The opposition supporters were shouting pro-opposition slogans outside the Musavat headquarters when they were attacked. The Musavat headquarters had been surrounded, leaving hundreds blocked inside. After additional clashes during the night, people were finally able to leave the building.

Human Rights Watch regrets the use of violence by members of the opposition, and has repeatedly met with opposition leaders in the past days to urge non-violent protests. Without condoning the use of violence by the opposition, Human Rights Watch stressed that the violence could have been avoided, had the government allowed a wider margin of political freedom for the opposition in the lead-up to the election and on the election day.