In June 2015, Azerbaijan’s capital Baku will host the first ever European Games under the umbrella of the European Olympic Committees. Controversy already surrounds this new sporting venture. Over the last twelve months, a wave of arrests of key critics, including human rights activists, election monitors, lawyers and investigative journalists, has almost entirely silenced Azerbaijani civil society.
During this interactive session, our panelists will explore the relationship between sport and human rights, examining the argument that Azerbaijan is using such high profile events to whitewash its image amidst criticism from domestic human rights activists as well as international bodies regarding its human rights records. Panellists: Emin Milli, Azerbaijani activist, former political prisoner and co-founder of Meydan TV
Gulnara Akhundova, Azerbaijani human rights defender, and programme manager at International Media Support Giorgi Gogia, senior researcher on Azerbaijan at Human Rights Watch. -02D-
Politics
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On 6 February, the Baku Court of Appeal presided over by Faig Ganiyev rejected an appeal by Party of People's Front of Azerbaijan Ali Kerimli against a verdict of the Nasimi district court, which found him guilty under Article 147.1 (slander) and fined him AZN 1,500.
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On 6 February, 45 citizens of Azerbaijan were readmitted from Germany within the framework of the readmission agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union. This was reported by the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan on 7 February.
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Today, the trial of the disabled 1st group, paralyzed activist Famil Khalilov ended in the Baku Court of Serious Crimes.
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On February 6, pro-government media reported 6 that Azerbaijan is demanding the closure of the “Rossotrudnichestvo” representation in the country, as this organization is not registered in Azerbaijan. Requests from Turan agency to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan to confirm this information went unanswered.
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