Helsinki Commission discusses jailed ex-minister`s case
US lawmakers voiced protests over the case of Farhad Aliyev, the
jailed former economic development minister, during the hearing on
human rights and democratization in Azerbaijan held by the U.S.
Congress` Helsinki Commission last week.
Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Richard Burr cited what they called irregularities committed during the ex-minister`s trial. They asked US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, David Kramer, and the Azeri ambassador to the United States, Yashar Aliyev, why Aliyev was first charged with a coup attempt, but later faced unrelated charges of economic crimes.
Aliyev was among several high-ranking officials arrested in the run-up to the November 2005 parliamentary elections on charges of an attempt to overthrow the government. He was later charged with graft, embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship and abuse of power.
Butterfield said the statements alleging that the former minister was asked for $100 million in exchange for his release should be investigated. He sought an explanation from both the assistant secretary and the Azeri ambassador concerning one of Aliyev`s charges - plotting to stage an "orange revolution" jointly with US, British and German ambassadors in 2005. However, both declined to provide a definitive answer. Kramer said the U.S. government had closely followed the ex-minister`s trial but had never seen these claims in a documented form.
Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Richard Burr cited what they called irregularities committed during the ex-minister`s trial. They asked US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, David Kramer, and the Azeri ambassador to the United States, Yashar Aliyev, why Aliyev was first charged with a coup attempt, but later faced unrelated charges of economic crimes.
Aliyev was among several high-ranking officials arrested in the run-up to the November 2005 parliamentary elections on charges of an attempt to overthrow the government. He was later charged with graft, embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship and abuse of power.
Butterfield said the statements alleging that the former minister was asked for $100 million in exchange for his release should be investigated. He sought an explanation from both the assistant secretary and the Azeri ambassador concerning one of Aliyev`s charges - plotting to stage an "orange revolution" jointly with US, British and German ambassadors in 2005. However, both declined to provide a definitive answer. Kramer said the U.S. government had closely followed the ex-minister`s trial but had never seen these claims in a documented form.
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