OSCE, EU and Council of Europe called on Baku to respect human rights

Azerbaijan voluntarily undertook international obligations in the field of human rights and freedom of expression, and must  follow them, said  at a meeting with journalists  the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, CE Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks, and Vice President of the European Commission  for "e-agenda" Neelie Kroes.

Their visit is timed to the Global Forum on Internet Governance held in Baku on 6-9 November.

Previously Mijatovic and Muiznieks visited  the arrested journalists Avaz Zeynalli, Hilal ammadov,  Faramaz Allahverdiyev, and Vugar Gonagov in jail in Kurdakhani. 

According to Mijatovic, the arrested journalists did not complain about prison conditions. But this is not enough to ensure their rights, they should be released.

Representatives of international organizations invited journalists to speak on the freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

The representative of the Institute of Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS) Idrak Abbas said that the situation is grim. "We have  the arrested and convicted journalists, there is not an advertising market, TV  channels are  under the full control of the government, there are only two or three independent newspapers  in the country," said Abbasov.

The number of arrested journalists is nine, and another three defenders are in custody. There is an atmosphere  of impunity for crimes against journalists in the country.  The murder of the editor of the magazine "Monitor" Elmar Huseynov, committed in 2005, remains closed. In the subsequent period a series of brutal crimes against journalists were committed, but none  of them were disclosed  and no one was punished.

"In prison died Novruzali Mamedov. Last year journalist Rafiq Tagi was murdered, but none of  the guilty  has been punished," he said.

As for the Internet, free access to the Internet, does not mean freedom of expression. "People can be punished for speaking out in facebook,  their  relatives can suffer. Moreover,  the electron correspondence  is under the control," said Abbasov.

Indicator of the state of freedom of the press is the fact that in the days of the Global Forum on Internet Governance and the visit of representatives of international organizations, a bank account "Azadlig" newspaper was arrested, he said.

Deputy Editor in Chief of "Azadlig" Rahim Hajiyev noted that editor in chief and his brother, the author of satirical poems were convicted, two more of the editorial staff were kidnapped and beaten, and two others were physically pressured. "Now the authorities have decided to  crash "Azadlig" economically,"  said Hajiyev stressing that the total amount of fines the court has exceeded 65,000 manat.

"If this process is not stopped,  the newspaper will close",- he said, and urged the international organizations to be principled and require the authorities to comply with the obligations in the area of ​​press freedom. Mijatovic said that she was aware of these problems and will raise them before the official Baku.

She stressed that impunity for crimes against journalists remains a serious problem. "Not nly the executors,  but also customers of these crimes should be punished,"  she said. In turn, Neelie Kroes, the question of the situation  with freedom of expression in Azerbaijan, called the situation "bad." Joining the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan voluntarily assumed the obligation to ensure the human rights and freedom of expression.

The Commissioner Muiznieks, responding to the question of regulating the Internet, said noted the existing European convention against cybercrime, racial discrimination, child pornography, and the existing European case law. Therefore, all restrictions on the Internet should be clearly spelled out in the law, be appropriate and applied on the basis of court decisions. 

During the discussion that the pro-government media have tried to reduce the matter to a lack of professionalism of journalists and "politicized press," abuse of freedom of expression. Thus, a member of the Press Council, Mushfig Alasgarli, did  not agree that Editor of "Tolyshi sado" Hilal Mammadov was  added to reporters; however, Mijatovic said that for her it does not matter who the person whose rights have been violated. "I defend anyone who suffered for freedom of expression, and this is the mission of my organization." There must be a tolerance to criticism, even if it sometimes is not fair, said Mijatovic.

Neelie Kroes said that nothing, including the "difficult situation in the region" can  justify the suppression of freedoms. "There can not b a compromise in the issue of ensuring freedom,"  she said, emphasizing that the Internet should be a place for free debate and people should use it without fear.

Nils Muiznieks said that "lack of professionalism" and politicization of the press can not be the basis for the arrest of people. If we follow this logic, then on  every street should be open prison, said the CE Commissioner.

He also criticized the recent decision of the Parliament of Azerbaijan on a manifold increase  of penalties for unauthorized rallies.

The Commissioner said that in the first half of 2013  he will visit Azerbaijan, and then prepare a report on the human rights situation.

In conclusion, he said that international organizations consider necessary the release of  all journalists and bloggers in Azerbaijan, stop their pursuit, decriminalization of defamation, ensure freedom of expression, assembly, association, etc.—06C--