FIDH: EUROPEAN GAMES – GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DENOUNCE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN AZERBAIJAN
13:56 22/04/2015 ” LAW
Repression of Azerbaijani civil society, NGOs and journalists has
escalated significantly as the date of the Baku European Games
approaches, says the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights
Defenders in a report (FIDH).
The report documents the repression of eight Azerbaijani human rights
defenders who have been arbitrarily detained, and details the series of
legislative amendments recently adopted to silence independent voices.
“Most of the high-level leaders of the independent NGOs have been
arrested. The conditions of detention are abominable and the declining
health of some of them, such as Leyla Yunus and Intigam Aliyev is
of serious concern,” Secretary General of World Organization Against
Torture (OMCT) Gerald Staberock stated.
In January 2015, the Observatory led a mission to Baku to meet with
civil society organizations. Despite several requests submitted to the
authorities, the delegation was not allowed to visit the imprisoned
defenders, the report reads.
Further FIDH states that the international community must use this
opportunity to express its concern with Azerbaijani authorities
regarding human rights abuses and the situation the people and
organizations defending these rights face in Azerbaijan.
“We hope that the leaders of the countries participating in the
European Games will take advantage of the opportunity to denounce
the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. That is why we are asking
them officially to condition their participation in the opening
ceremony on the release of all imprisoned human rights defenders,”
the President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH),
Souhayr Belhassen, stated.
It is also noted that in 2014, several laws were amended to restrict
the activities of civil society. New laws were adopted that increased
the administrative requirements for NGOs. These laws make it de facto
impossible for unregistered NGOs receive grants in accordance with
the law. The authorities have used these new regulations to prosecute
NGO leaders by accusing them of financial irregularities.
Related:
EurasiaNet.org: European Games visitors to Azerbaijan to have what
government orders for breakfast
The Washington Post: Olympic flame must illuminate terrible stain
ruling regime is inflicting on Azerbaijan
Human rights groups appeal to U.S. Secretary of State to boycott
European games in Baku