Help Free a Facebook Activist, Imprisoned for Speaking out Against his Government!
THIS EVENT RELEASED ON Dec–10–2011 AND IS NOW CLOSED.
UPDATE: On December 10, 2011, people around the world took action on behalf of Jabbar Savalan – that unified global voice made a difference! We are happy to report that Jabbar was released from prison on December 26, 2011 after he received a presidential pardon. You can read the full story about Jabbar's release here.
Azerbaijan authorities are punishing Jabbar Savalan for his Facebook activity by sentencing him to two and a half years in prison. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience, detained only for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and of association.
Jabbar Savalan is a 20-year-old student who was studying history at Sumgayit University in Azerbaijan. He is also a member of the youth wing of the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front’s Party (APFP) and has participated in meetings and demonstrations against the government.
In early January, Jabbar Savalan read an article in a Turkish newspaper that described President Ilham Aliyev as corrupt and as a gambler. He reposted it on Facebook.
On 4 February, inspired by protests in the Middle East and North Africa, Jabbar Savalan posted an event on Facebook calling for a “Day of Rage”. That evening, he was returning to his Sumgayit home from an APFP meeting when security officials arrested him. They forced him into a police vehicle without giving an explanation or informing him of his rights. Police officers handcuffed him and pushed him around. They claim to have found 0.74 g of marijuana in his outer jacket pocket.
During the weekend, police denied Jabbar Savalan access to a lawyer as they interrogated him. He later told his lawyer that police had slapped and threatened him until he signed a confession, which he later withdrew. He denied possessing the marijuana and said that the police must have planted it on him when they put him in the police vehicle. Jabbar’s family, friends and classmates are adamant that he has no history of drug use.
Three months later, Jabbar Savalan was convicted of possessing illegal drugs for personal use, despite the results of a blood test taken after his arrest that showed no traces of drug use. He is being held in Prison 10 in Baku City, and is due to be released in August 2013.
Amnesty International has documented similar cases where drugs have been “found” on prominent critics of the government. After the trial, the police officer who arrested Jabbar Savalan told the activist’s lawyer, Anar Gasimov, that he did not like the critical tone in the lawyer’s closing speech. The officer warned him, “I know where you live. We will see what I will do for you.” Anar Gasimov now fears that he will have evidence planted on him.
Jabbar Savalan’s arrest signaled an intense crackdown by the Azerbaijan authorities on activists using social networks to protest against the government. Twelve more activists are currently on trial.
“Nowadays many people in Azerbaijan are offered an alternative: freedom or bread. Those who choose bread lose freedom very soon. I have chosen freedom in spite of knowing that I would be thrown into jail. That will not break my will. I will continue struggle for freedom and we will win in this struggle.” – Jabbar Savalan
Call on the Azerbaijan government to stop punishing Jabbar Savalan for exercising his right to Freedom of Expression! Sign an open letter to President Aliyev and speak out in a coordinated social media protest, calling for Jabbar’s immediate release. Click the NEXT STEP button above to set your actions.
* TOTAL ACTIONS IN QUEUE OR TOTAL ACTIONS TAKEN FOR EVENT, BROKEN DOWN BY ACTION TYPE.
EVENT SETTINGS
Social media, email, petitions! The actions you choose to SAVE will be HELD until the event release day. Then, your posts, tweets and emails will be sent at the same time, alongside thousands of others!
Help Free a Facebook Activist, Imprisoned for Speaking out Against his Government!
Decide how YOU want to participate in this Virtual Event – choose from the actions below! Only the actions you SAVE will be sent on the release date. You can EDIT your actions anytime. The more actions you choose, the bigger the impact you will have!
THE EVENT IS NOW CLOSED!
VIRTUAL EVENT ACTIONS : MESSAGES WERE RELEASED ON Dec–10–2011 (12PM EST)
SIGN AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV (AMBASSADOR CC'D BELOW)
Dear President Aliyev,
We are human rights supporters calling for the immediate release of student and Facebook activist Jabbar Savalan.
Amnesty International believes the drug possession charges that have been brought against Jabbar Savalan are fabricated, and as such, condemns his conviction on those charges. Instead, we believe Jabbar is serving 2.5 years in prison for using Facebook to criticize your government.
Amnesty International considers Jabbar Savalan a prisoner of conscience who was imprisoned for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
We urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Jabbar Savalan. We also ask you ensure that Azerbaijan authorities stop punishing activists for their peaceful online activities.
President Aliyev, with your election to the UN Security Council last month, the world is looking to you. We call on you to uphold your obligation as a Council member, to take an unwavering stance in the protection of human rights. This must start with the release of Jabbar Savalan.
Yours sincerely,
Amnesty Supporter
cc: His Excellency Farid Shafiyev
Ambassador for Azerbaijan
275 Slater Street, Suite 904
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5H9
P.S. Digital signatures for this letter were collected at http://ai50.ca/s/tsRa8.
To view signatures collected since this letter was mailed visit the URL above.
POST ACTION TO FACEBOOK
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POST ACTION TO TWITTER
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USE FOURSQUARE TO CHECK-IN AT THE EMBASSY OF AZERBAIJAN, CANADA
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EMAIL 5 FRIENDS
TO: Your Friends
SUBJECT: Help free a Facebook activist jailed in Azerbaijan!
Today is Human Rights Day. So today I am asking you to join me in a social media protest to help free Facebook activist Jabbar Salavan.
Jabbar is serving 2.5 years in Azerbaijan’s Prison 10 after he used Facebook to speak out against his government. Jabbar is a PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE who used social media to simply exercise his right to FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
Social media activism has the power to change the world. The Azerbaijan authorities recognize this and have initiated a widespread crackdown on social media.
It seems fitting that we use our social media voices to speak out for Jabbar, a Facebook activist. So I urge you to join me in Amnesty International's SOCIAL MEDIA ACTION CENTRE. You can sign an open letter to President Aliyev and join a coordinated social media protest, calling for the Azerbaijan government to immediately release Jabbar.
I’m doing it. Join, and be part of it too! http://ai50.ca/s/tsRa8
This Social Media Action Centre virtual event is part of WRITE FOR RIGHTS, a global letter-writing marathon, happening today. Let’s call on the Azerbaijan government in every medium possible. Check it out, sign up, and also write a letter on Jabbar’s behalf. http://www.amnesty.ca/writeathon/
Sincerely,
Amnesty Supporter
* TOTAL ACTIONS IN QUEUE OR TOTAL ACTIONS TAKEN FOR EVENT, BROKEN DOWN BY ACTION TYPE.