NGO coalition demands to return Azerbaijan to EIT

Baku / 17.12.18 / Turan: The authorities of Azerbaijan must remove obstacles to the activities of civil society and return to the international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), stated the statement of the 20th general meeting of the NGO Coalition on the initiative of transparency in the extractive industry, held on December 15. The coalition considers it necessary to restore a trilateral group with its participation. All parties - the government, mining companies and NGOs must sign a Memorandum of Understanding, the statement said.

Azerbaijan joined the EITI in 2003. However, in 2014, Baku sharply tightened legislation, restricting the activities of independent NGOs. Moreover, dozens of NGOs and their leaders were prosecuted.

After that, many NGOs were forced to stop down their jobs, and the leaders of others emigrated. In addition, three members of the Coalition - Fuad Gahramanly, Asif Yusifli, and Mehman Huseynov were arrested. At a meeting on December 15, members of the coalition demanded their release.

The coalition insists on a transparent and fair distribution of revenues from the exploitation of the country's mineral resources and calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to remove legal and practical obstacles to the activities of NGOs, including the cancellation of registration of grants and donors. In April 2015, the status of Azerbaijan in the EITI was reduced from a "permanent member" to a "candidate country".

In October 2016, the government of Azerbaijan was given six months to change the situation to ensure the EITI standards. In April 2017, following the meeting of the EITI Board, Azerbaijan"s membership was suspended "due to the inability of the country's leadership to protect civil society." In turn, the Azerbaijani government announced its withdrawal from the EITI, calling the board"s decision "unfair". -03D06-