The ECHR awarded compensation to two Azerbaijani women for restrictions on their freedom of movement.

The European Court of Human Rights has found a violation of the right to freedom of movement and the right to an effective remedy in relation to two Azerbaijani citizens, Zeynab Abdullayeva and Elnara Sarijanov, who were banned from traveling abroad by the country's authorities due to criminal cases against their relatives.

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that in April, the European Court of Human Rights sent questions to the Azerbaijani authorities regarding complaints from 16 individuals who claimed they were illegally banned from leaving the country. The complaint was filed by journalists, civil society activists, and experts serving as witnesses or suspects in criminal cases.

On June 2, the ECHR announced rulings on the complaints of Zeynab Abdullayeva, the mother of imprisoned former Azerbaijani MP and businessman Huseyn Abdullayev, and Elnara Sarijanov, the wife of Azer Sarijanov, who was convicted of the attempted murder of Azerbaijani National Assembly member Fazil Mustafa. Both complaints were consolidated in a single case, "Abdullayeva and Sarijanov v. Azerbaijan."

The applicants stated in their complaints that in 2023 they learned of a ban on leaving the country due to criminal cases against their family members. However, they were not accused or suspected and were only questioned as witnesses. Their appeals to local courts were unsuccessful. Sarijanov's application was not even considered, and Abdullayeva's application was dismissed.

The ECHR found a violation of both Article 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of movement, and Article 13, which enshrines the right to an effective remedy, against the applicants.

The ECHR ordered each applicant to receive €3,000 in compensation for non-pecuniary damage and an additional €500 for legal costs.

The practice of unjustifiably restricting the freedom of movement of citizens whose family members are in prison is widespread in Azerbaijan, according to a Baku-based lawyer with experience in civil society projects.

"As a rule, family members of individuals arrested for political reasons are subject to restrictions on their rights." The cases of Abdullayeva and Sarijanov are also high-profile, although the identities of their convicted family members have provoked a mixed reaction in society. However, if we are talking about a state governed by the rule of law, then innocent relatives of those arrested and convicted should not be subjected to pressure and restrictions of their rights. This ECHR decision once again confirms the unlawfulness of such practices in Azerbaijan. In the current reality, it is unlikely that the bans on the convicted persons will be lifted, but the applicants can at least receive compensation," said a source of a Caucasian Knot correspondent who did not wish to publish his name. Caucasian Knot also reported that Azerbaijani authorities have banned Dilruba Amanova, the mother of arrested Meydan TV journalist Aytaj Tapdyg, from leaving the country. The woman was twice prevented from leaving Azerbaijan, although after the first attempt, security officials assured her that the ban had been lifted.