Appeal to the President Ilham Aliyev from the friends of Adnan and Emin

Mr. President,

In 2003 and 2008, while kneeling in front of the state national flag,You took an oath to protect Constitutional rights of every Azerbaijani citizen and to ensure, by all possible means development of our country. Today, there is a need to protect the rights of two Azerbaijani citizens and these are such citizens the future development of the country rests on.

In 2005, You signed a decree, letting 5000 Azerbaijani youth receive education abroad. This decree, found much support among youth who saw it as a campaign to transfer oil revenues to education and named it “Future is what you do now”. The person leading this campaign was Emin Abdullayev, widely known as Emin Milli. Currently, Emin Abdullayev and Adnan Hajizade - known for his enlightment work among youth - are in prison. They were arrested on false charges of hooliganism.

Why do we think that this charge is false?

Putting aside legal aspects of these arrests, we would like to inform You of our emotional standpoint. Both Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada are those individuals whom everyone, inlcuding You, would like to see in the future of Azerbaijan. While in Azerbaijan, and during their studies at Western universities, both Emin and Adnan, were known as individuals who would become key players in the development of their country.

Today, universities that Emin and Adnan once attended, organizations they worked at, friends gained during different public initiatives, are watching their arrest with many questions on their minds. We have also thought of similar questions.

Who would believe that these two people, who never had a fight or committed an act of hooliganism, would have the capacity and strength to beat up two well - built men?

We do not believe in this! On July 8th, while Emin, Adnan and their five friends, were discussing political and social situation in the country at Lebanese restaurant, they were subject to an attack by two men whose sole purpose was clearly not to dine at the restaurant. Following this attack, Emin was left with injuries on his face and leg, while Adnan had injuries on his forehead and nose. Here, a question comes to mind, why, the group that was larger in number, didn’t fight the two men who attacked them? Emin, Adnan and other five youths, instead of resisting their attackers, believed the law would protect them and applied to the police.

Alas! Police without further thinking, reverted the accident against them. The actual victims were detained as suspicious people while the real perpetrartors were set free. It is hard to understand such measures taken by the law enforcement bodies. According to the police, the perpetrators have received heavy injuries.

However, on that very same evening, knowing that our friends have been injured and waiting outside of the police station for them to receive medical treatment, we saw for ourselves, that the real attackers - Babek Huseynov and Vusal Mammadov (the Ministry of Internal Affairs, mentioned it several times that Babek and Vusal were internally displaced people from Agdam and Fuzuli) were absolutely fine. The journalists did detailed search of the hosptial records at which, the attackers were supposed to be treated.

And despite a number of attempts of the four eye witnesses who were waiting in front of that very same police station to testify, no one ever took their testimony.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, on one hand, says that this was a simple act of hooligansim and yet, it gives the victims the heaviest of sentences, holds court hearing behind closed doors and doesn’t even let the parents visit their children.

We believe, that the unprofessional behavior of the police and their ill - will disappoints You as well. We also believe that the message given by the police to the friends - mostly youth - of Adnan and Emin is rather dangerous for the State.

What should an Azerbaijani youth think, when it sees the brightest, the smartest and the most tolerant youth representatives targeted by the police and some other abusers?

Mr. President, today, Azerbaijani youth believes that You would put an end to this lawlesness. We also believe that, you would understand the reality behind these arrests- the credibility of the law- enforcement bodies. Because, the solution of the problem goes through their confession.

Among members of Emin Milli’s AN network and Adnan Hajizada’s “OL!” Youth Movement, there are those who voted for you and who didn’t. Among us, there are those who strongly support Your policies and those who don’t. But still You, are the president of all this youth. Hear us!

Friends of Emin and Adnan