Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS)

Azerbaijan has been providing leadership in the Council of Europe since last month, promoting and protecting human rights standards in Europe and beyond. In the meantime, back home, arbitrary arrest, torture and unfair trials are widespread.

With eight journalists and seven bloggers and online activists behind bars, Azerbaijan is the worst jailer in the region, leaving behind countries like Belarus, Russia and Uzbekistan.

In the lead-up to the Council’s chairmanship, there has been a rise in harassment of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Azerbaijan. Official intimidation tactics have included the levying of heavy fines on CSOs for petty administrative lapses and the denial of permission to civil society groups to hold meetings in public spaces.

Azerbaijan, with its well-documented brutal crackdown on domestic and international NGOs at home, appears to be in a great position to restrict human rights NGOs access to the UN.

Azerbaijan’s human rights record is inconsistent with standards embraced by the pan-European human rights organisation, the Council of Europe, and so its chairmanship, which will start in May, risks undermining the integrity of the institution’s human rights principles.

Tofig Yabulu, a columnist for Yeni Musavat newspaper, and Ilgar Mammadov, Chairman of Republican Alternative (REAL) Political Movement, have been accused of inciting violent anti-government riots on 23-24 January 2013 in Ismayili, when people took to the streets protesting social injustice and power abuse.

Azerbaijan should promptly revise its libel laws to meet international standards for freedom of expression and the media, the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) and Media Rights Institute (MRI) said on 12 March 2014.

Azeri authorities recently made a secret audio recording of private conversation between civil society representatives and U.S. congressional aides visiting Baku. The illegally obtained recording is now used by the government to back up absurd “espionage” allegations against award-winning journalist Khadija Ismayilova.

According to Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman, authorities decided to expel Mahir Zeynalov after he posted anti-government tweets. The newspaper says Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan filed a complaint against Zeynalov for “defamation and inciting public to hatred.”

Amendments to Azerbaijan’s NGO legislation introduce new offences punishable by fines, which have now increased to 2500-3000 AZN approximately (2600- 3100 EUR) for NGOs and between 1000-2000 AZN (approximately 1000- 2100 EUR) for directors of national and foreign NGOs.

In a joint statement, representatives from 33 non-governmental organisations call on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to urge Azerbaijan to repeal restrictive legislation that runs counter to Azerbaijan’s obligations to the Council of Europe with respect to freedom of expression, association, and assembly.

As Azerbaijanis prepare to celebrate the New Year with families and friends, nine journalists, two bloggers and three human rights defenders will spend the festive season alone behind bars. They have been detained on politically motivated charges in connection with freedom of expression.

On December 25, the Nasimi district court turned down Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center chairman Anar Mammadli’s request for replacement of his pretrial detention with house arrest.

As the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety marks International Human Rights Day, it expresses concern that freedom of expression remains under attack in Azerbaijan.

On the International Day to End Impunity, the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety calls for justice for Rafiq Tagi, Novruzali Mammadov, Elmar Huseynov and other journalists who have been killed and attacked because of their work.

In Azerbaijan, the nine national channels serve the government’s political goals, shaping public opinion by boosting, playing down, or ignoring certain issues, figures, or groups and instilling sentiments that benefit the ruling regime’s political interests.