Azerbaijan: Repression on the eve of the European Games, report of the Committee against Torture

Repression against civil society, NGOs and journalists in Azerbaijan increased significantly on the eve of the European Games in Baku, according to the report of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, released  on April 21. The report documented facts of the persecution against eight defenders.

"Most of the leaders of independent NGOs have been arrested. The conditions of their detention are disgusting, and  deterioration of health of some of them, such as Leyla Yunus and Intigam Aliyev, is a serious concern," said Gerald Staberok, Secretary General  Committee against Torture.

In January 2015, the Observatory sent a fact-finding mission in Baku to meet with civil society. Despite appeals to the authorities, the delegation was not allowed to visit the detained human rights defenders.

Over the past two years, many former Soviet states brutally cracked down on civil society by conducting an extremely repressive policies. Such a policy is inspired by the laws adopted in Russia.

On the eve of the European Games in Baku in June 2015 the international community must express its concern about the human rights violations in Azerbaijan.  "We hope that the leaders of countries participating in the European Games will take the opportunity to condemn the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. That is why we are asking them to officially declare that their participation in the opening ceremony of the games will be possible during the liberation of all political prisoners, human rights defenders," said  Souhayr Belhassen, head of the Federation of human rights organizations (FIDH.)

Azerbaijani government considers  the "Arab spring, large demonstrations in Russia and Turkey, the events in Ukraine "threat" to national stability. With this motivation authorities began cracking down on NGOs and their leaders in 2014, tightened laws restricted the activities of civil society.

These laws have made virtually impossible the activities of independent NGOs, noted in the report.

This 50 page document provides detailed information about the situation in the country and contains specific recommendations to the authorities of Azerbaijan and the country's main international partners - the UN, OSCE, EU, Council of Europe. The essence of the recommendations - the necessary steps to change the situation of human rights and democracy in Azerbaijan for the better. -02D-