Nationality Azerbaijani Name Rashad Hasanov | Organization Nida Civic Movement | |
Born 2 May 1985 ( 1985-05-02 ) Lankaran, Azerbaijan Alma mater Middle East Technical University | ||
Deakin 3mt 2015 finalist rashad hasanov
Rashad Hasanov (Azerbaijani: Rəşad Həsənov, born on May 2, 1985, Lankaran) is a youth activist and ex-board member of N!DA Civic Movement from September 2012 to September 2013. He was arrested on March 14, 2013 a few days after the protests held in Baku against the non-combat deaths in the military. Hasanov was accused in preparing the riots during the protests. International human rights organization, Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience. He was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months of imprisonment on May 6, 2014, but later pardoned and released on March 17, 2016 being imprisoned for three years.
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Education
Rashad Hasanov is a graduate of Lankaran Private Turkish High School. During his high school years he took part in the country-wide Mathematics Olympiads and was awarded with a gold medal. In 2002, he was invited to the International Mathematics Olympiad in Glasgow, but because of his health problems he was not able to participate there. Hasanov has been graduated from the school with an honors diploma.
Hasanov continued his studies at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Turkey. At the same time he led the METU Azerbaijani Students Association with more than 100 members. In 2009–2010, Hasanov was the vice-president of the Azerbaijani Students and Alumni Association of over 300 students.
After his graduation from METU in 2010, Hasanov was admitted into the MA programme in International Security and Terrorism. However, he did not have enough financing to cover his full expenses. Moreover, his request from the Ministry of Education to finance his studies under the State Programme on Education of Azerbaijani Youth Abroad in 2007–2015 was turned down.
Activity
During the Azerbaijani parliamentary election in 2010, Rashad Hasanov actively ran the election campaign for young nominee Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and co-ordinated the work of more than 100 volunteers. Hasanov was one of the members of Positive Change Youth Movement established on November 10, 2010 by more than 35 volunteers. He was twice elected to the board of the movement in between March 2011 and May 2012. He also actively participated in the “Support Bakhtiyar” campaign formed in order to support Bakhtiyar Hajiyev who was that time arrested with political motives.
In 2011, Rashad Hasanov was one of the board members of the Committee for Protection of Youth Rights which has been represented by nine organizations. In May 2012, he left Positive Change Youth Movement in order to reach wider audience and joined to N!DA Civic Movement. Starting from September 2012 on, he was the board member of the movement.
In August 2012, he took part in the Forum of Azerbaijanis living in Europe held in Prague, furthermore he was the member of Co-ordination Committee in it.
In October 2012, Rashad Hasanov was one of the responsible people in the inquiry conveyed by “Frontline sms” programme in “Education without curruption” project, which intended to define the level of bribery at the universities of Azerbaijan with the donation of IREX.
On November 4, 2012 Rashad Hasanov co-founded the Youth Assembly which comprises close to 50 activists.
He is the co-ordinator of the Transition from Authoritarianism to Democracy project of El Movement since March 2013.