IRFS: Closed Office AFU - a Blow to Freedom of Expression

Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS) made a statement in which it strongly condemned the April 10 closing of the office of the University of Free Thought (Azad Fikir Universiteti, AFU) after the sudden visit of the prosecutors.

The statement reads: 

 ‘The raid on the office of the Free Thought University (Azad Fikir Universiteti, or AFU) followed by its closure constitutes an unprecedented assault on Azerbaijan’s civil society. Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) strongly condemns the move, and calls for authorities to re-open AFU and release confiscated property immediately. 

As such, early in the morning yesterday (April 10) employees of the Prosecutor General’s office arrived at the office of the AFU without prior notice, sealed the door and shut the office down. Today, the Prosecutor General’s office announced that the organization has breached several of its legal and administrative obligations, including the provisions of the Law “On NGOs”, adopted in 2013.

'The move is yet another heavy blow to freedom of expression in Azerbaijan’, comments IRFS CEO and Chair Emin Huseynov. ‘It is a political decision and clearly illustrates that the authorities do not care about civil society. It sends the wrong signal and will not go unnoticed by the international community’, he said.

AFU is an alternative education project implemented by the OL! Movement, which is very popular amongst progressive youth. As stated on its website, AFU’s mission is to provide an environment where the youth can freely get together, develop their knowledge, acquire democratic values, share their experience, in short enrich their student life.

Working on human rights has become increasingly difficult in Azerbaijan. Since the beginning of the year, Azerbaijani officials and pro-government media have engaged in a smear campaign against independent civil society organizations, particularly those receiving foreign funding, accusing them of threatening national security.In fits of Soviet-style language, Head of Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev’s March 15th interview raised the level of hostility toward the civil society to new heights. 

On 31 March newly founded movement EL was expelled from its office. The new office rented by the movement was also seized by the police on April 5.

Worryingly, this crackdown is expected to continue in the coming weeks.  Now other CSOs are at risk of being targeted.

IRFS reminds that raids on the CSOs offices are a blatant violation of the Azerbaijani people’sright to freedom of association guaranteed by Article 58 of the Azerbaijani Constitution and Article 11 of the European Convention.    

IRFS urges the authorities to put an end to any act of harassment - including at the judicial level - against civil society in Azerbaijan, and to conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially:

- its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”,

- its article 5, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) To meet or assemble peacefully; (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups; (c) To communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations.”

- its Article 6 (b) and (c), which states that “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others […] as provided for in human rights and other applicable international instruments, freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms and [...] to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters”.

- and its Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”.

IRFS calls on the Azerbaijani authorities stop attacks on the freedom of association and support the development of civil society.IRFS calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to overturn the decision on the AFU and address the shortcomings of the legislation on NGOs, which currently does not meet international standards for the protection of human rights.

The organization also calls on the international organizations to urge the Azerbaijani government to put an end to violations of the freedom of association and freedom of association.’ –06D--