Baku refuses to give the Republican Alternative Party convention space

The constituent convention of the Republican Alternative Party (REAL) scheduled to take place on 29 October has been postponed to a later date. The reason for this is the administration of culture and tourism of Baku and a number of private institutions’ refusal to provide organizers with a venue for the convention.

REAL announced this at a press conference today.

Baku city authorities recently responded to REAL’s request for a venue to hold the convention with a refusal letter. The letter says that film screenings will be held in all of the proposed locations.

Members of the initiative group will appeal to governmental bodies again with a request to provide a space for the convention to be held on either 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26 November or alternatively at the end of the first week of December.

REAL is determined to hold a convention before the end of this year, regardless of the responses from official structures.

Two days earlier, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers officially notified Azerbaijan of its intention to begin legal proceedings in regards to the need to enforce the European Court of Human Rights’ decision in the case of Ilgar Mammadov.

“In today’s temporary resolution, the committee has provided Azerbaijan with an opportunity to present its opinion in writing before 29 November. If, by that time, the ECHR decision has not been executed, the Committee of Ministers will discuss another interim resolution on 5 December, in accordance with which the case will be returned to the European Court,” the statement said.

•  “REAL” was established in 2009 and opposed the tenure of one person as president of the country for more than two terms.

• The movement’s leader, Ilgar Mammadov, was arrested on suspicious charges of organizing riots in the Ismayili region in January 2013, and sentenced to seven years in prison.

• The European Court of Human Rights has determined that his arrest was unlawful and politically motivated, and declared he should be released immediately. This decision, which was made by the Strasbourg Court in May 2014, has not yet been enforced.