Jabbar Savalan
Encyclopedia
Jabbar Savalan is an Azerbaijani
blogger
and political activist. On 4 May 2011, he was sentenced to two and half years in prison on charges of dealing drugs. The Azerbaijani government defended the ruling, but the European parliament
and several human rights groups such as Amnesty International
alleged the charges were fabricated, part of a pattern of framing government dissidents to silence them.
(APFP), the nation's primary opposition party to the continued rule of President Ilham Aliyev
, son of previous president Heydar Aliyev
. With this group, he participated in an anti-government rally on 20 January; he also re-posted on Facebook
an article from a Turkish newspaper that had criticized the president.
On 4 February 2011, he posted on Facebook calling for a "Day of Rage" emulating recent pro-democracy protests
in Egypt and Syria. He urged citizens to join in protesting in Freedom Square in Baku
, the nation's capital.
At Savalan's trial, he claimed the drugs were placed on him by police officers. A blood test showed that he had not recently used drugs, and his friends and family testified that he had no history of drug use. One friend reportedly told Amnesty International
, "Jabbar is not a smoker and doesn't drink alcohol at all – there is no way he would be a drug user." However, he was convicted on the basis of his confession, and sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment. He was twenty years old at the time of his sentencing.
Savalan's lawyer, Anar Gasimov, alleged that following the trial, one of the police officers had approached and threatened him, stating, "I know where you live. We will see what I will do for you." People protesting the verdict were reportedly violently dispersed by police forces.
described the charges against Savalan as "trumped up", stating its belief that the accusation formed part of a pattern of "similar cases where drugs have been found on prominent critics of the government, such as Eynulla Fatullayev
and Sakit Zahidov". The organization named him a prisoner of conscience
. His arrest has also been protested by the human rights organizations Index on Censorship
, ARTICLE 19
, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. Human Rights Watch
described the government's actions as a "fresh example of the government's efforts to silence critical voices" and "blatant repression", urging that Savalan be released immediately.
On 12 May 2011, the European Parliament
passed a resolution condemning Azerbaijani "human rights violations" and "oppression of opposition forces". The resolution mentioned concern for Savalan's case by name, noting that he had apparently been "targeted for using Facebook to call for demonstrations against the government" and that "serious doubts" existed regarding the fairness of his drug trial.
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
blogger
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
and political activist. On 4 May 2011, he was sentenced to two and half years in prison on charges of dealing drugs. The Azerbaijani government defended the ruling, but the European parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
and several human rights groups such as Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
alleged the charges were fabricated, part of a pattern of framing government dissidents to silence them.
Involvement in protests
A student at Sumgait State University, Savalan became active in the youth wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front PartyAzerbaijan Popular Front Party
The Azerbaijani Popular Front Party is the main opposition political party in Azerbaijan, founded in 1992 by Abulfaz Elchibey. After Elchibey's death in 2000, the party split into two factions, the reform wing led by Ali Kerimli and the classical wing led by Mirmahmud Miralioglu.During 5 November...
(APFP), the nation's primary opposition party to the continued rule of President Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
, son of previous president Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev , also spelled as Heidar Aliev, Geidar Aliev, Haydar Aliyev, Geydar Aliyev was the third President of Azerbaijan for the New Azerbaijan Party from June 1993 to October 2003, when his son Ilham Aliyev succeeded him.From 1969 till 1982, Aliyev was also the leader of Soviet...
. With this group, he participated in an anti-government rally on 20 January; he also re-posted on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
an article from a Turkish newspaper that had criticized the president.
On 4 February 2011, he posted on Facebook calling for a "Day of Rage" emulating recent pro-democracy protests
2010–2011 Middle East and North Africa protests
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
in Egypt and Syria. He urged citizens to join in protesting in Freedom Square in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, the nation's capital.
Arrest and trial
The following day, 5 February, he was arrested returning from an APFP meeting in the city of Sumgayit. The police had allegedly searched his home in his absence. Savalan was taken to the police station, where he was searched. The police officer conducting the search then allegedly found 0.74 grams of marijuana in the pocket of his coat, and Savalan was booked on charges of "possessing narcotics with an intent to supply". Savalan then signed a confession which he later retracted, alleging that he had signed it only in the face of police pressure; his lawyer was not allowed to see him until two days after his arrest. On 7 February, a judge ordered him two months of pre-trial detention.At Savalan's trial, he claimed the drugs were placed on him by police officers. A blood test showed that he had not recently used drugs, and his friends and family testified that he had no history of drug use. One friend reportedly told Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, "Jabbar is not a smoker and doesn't drink alcohol at all – there is no way he would be a drug user." However, he was convicted on the basis of his confession, and sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment. He was twenty years old at the time of his sentencing.
Savalan's lawyer, Anar Gasimov, alleged that following the trial, one of the police officers had approached and threatened him, stating, "I know where you live. We will see what I will do for you." People protesting the verdict were reportedly violently dispersed by police forces.
International reaction
Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
described the charges against Savalan as "trumped up", stating its belief that the accusation formed part of a pattern of "similar cases where drugs have been found on prominent critics of the government, such as Eynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Fatullayev
Eynulla Emin oglu Fatullayev is an Azerbaijani journalist and editor-in-chief of the independent Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and Azeri-language daily Gündəlik Azərbaycan newspapers. He was imprisoned for four years in Azerbaijan for his criticism of government's policies and for his...
and Sakit Zahidov". The organization named him a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
. His arrest has also been protested by the human rights organizations Index on Censorship
Index on Censorship
Index on Censorship is a campaigning publishing organisation for freedom of expression, which produces an award-winning quarterly magazine of the same name from London. The present chief executive of Index on Censorship, since 2008, is the author, broadcaster and commentator John Kampfner, former...
, ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is a London-based human rights organisation with a specific mandate and focus on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide...
, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
described the government's actions as a "fresh example of the government's efforts to silence critical voices" and "blatant repression", urging that Savalan be released immediately.
On 12 May 2011, the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
passed a resolution condemning Azerbaijani "human rights violations" and "oppression of opposition forces". The resolution mentioned concern for Savalan's case by name, noting that he had apparently been "targeted for using Facebook to call for demonstrations against the government" and that "serious doubts" existed regarding the fairness of his drug trial.