During President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Germany, Azerbaijani political emigrants who wanted to hold a protest in Berlin demanding the release of political prisoners faced police intervention.
According to the protesters, German police blocked off the area in front of the Chancellery and prevented them and journalists from approaching.
Journalist Afgan Mukhtarli told Meydan TV that special police forces of Germany’s Ministry of the Interior removed not only the protesters but also tourists and some German citizens from the area.
“Such a disgraceful incident has never happened in Germany’s recent history. They cordoned off a large area with police barriers, as they would in Baku, and did not allow us or other journalists to come closer. We were only able to chant slogans from a distance, along the route where Ilham Aliyev was expected to pass,” Mukhtarli said.
According to him, Berlin police also dismantled and relocated the tents set up by Azerbaijani political emigrants as part of the protest campaign they had started on June 15.
The protest is being held to demand the release of 15 women currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan — nine journalists and six religious activists. The organizer of the protest is Orkhan Aghayev. Members of the Democracy for Azerbaijan movement, the Muslim Unity Movement, as well as activists who are not affiliated with any political organization, are participating in the demonstration.
Afgan Mukhtarli said that, a few minutes before Ilham Aliyev’s arrival at the Chancellery, police officers also attempted to take away the list and photographs of the imprisoned individuals.
“However, the activists resisted and did not allow this to happen,” the journalist added.
According to Mukhtarli, he has been living in Germany since 2020 and is encountering such a situation for the first time.
“Ilham Aliyev dictated his demands to the German government today. I am certain that it was precisely at the request of the Azerbaijani government and Ilham Aliyev that we were removed from there, the area was cleared, and it was cordoned off by special police forces,” he said.
The journalist noted that even representatives of local media were restricted from entering the area. According to him, only journalists with accreditation who were allowed to enter the building for the meeting were able to film.
“However, previously, numerous journalists who were not entering the building could easily film from outside and prepare reports,” Mukhtarli said.
Another notable moment during the visit was the exchange between Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, and Azerbaijani blogger Tural Sadigli, who lives in Germany.
In a video shared on social media, Hikmet Hajiyev said he regretted the blogger’s activities.
“You think that everyone in Azerbaijan is sitting and watching your programs. But let me sincerely tell you, that is not the case. The hardest thing in life is to betray one’s homeland and state. I feel sorry for people who live in that situation. Yes, may God have mercy on them. But I consider this a misfortune,” Hajiyev said.
He said that he is not bothered by criticism directed at him personally, but that he feels sorry for Sadigli’s situation.
Tural Sadigli is one of the government’s most outspoken critics. He has been charged under several articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code, including fraud, public calls for terrorism, and other offenses. By a ruling of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, Sadigli was found guilty of the charges brought against him and sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison.
President Ilham Aliyev visited Germany on July 20. As part of the visit, he held meetings with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and other officials.
During the Berlin meetings, Azerbaijan-Germany bilateral relations, political dialogue, economic cooperation, energy issues, and regional developments were discussed. As part of the visit, Ilham Aliyev and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signed a “Joint Declaration on the Strategic Agenda for Bilateral Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Federal Republic of Germany.” In addition, a document on the establishment and activities of the Azerbaijan-Germany Business Council was also signed.
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