State Department on the state of freedom of the press and the Internet in Azerbaijan

Baku/01.04.21/Turan: The US State Department published a traditional answer about the state of freedoms and rights in 200 countries and territories. In the section on Azerbaijan, special attention is paid to violations of freedom of the media and the Internet.

In particular, it is noted that in fact there is censorship, although it is prohibited by law, journalists are intimidated, beaten and arrested. Over the past year, the authorities continued to exert pressure on the media and journalists in exile, and even on their relatives.

During the martial law period from September 28 to December 12, the government imposed restrictions on the work of independent and opposition media outlets and journalists.

The authorities continued to exert pressure on leading human rights organizations and independent media outside the country, as well as on individuals associated with them in the country. Foreign media outlets, including Voice of America, Radio Liberty and the BBC, remain banned from broadcasting on FM radio frequencies, although the Russian news agency Sputnik has been allowed to broadcast news on local radio.

Lawsuits have also been used to intimidate journalists and the media. On June 19, the Khatai District Court found guilty of hooliganism and sentenced the journalist "Azadlig" Tazakhan Miralamli to restriction of freedom for a period of one year. He was required to wear an electronic bracelet and was forbidden to leave the house from 23:00 until 7 am each.

Most of the local media relied on the patronage of individuals close to the government or the State Media Fund. Those who did not enjoy such support experienced serious financial difficulties. Most media outlets practice self-censorship and avoid criticism of the government.

Libel is a criminal offense and carries significant fines and imprisonment for up to three years. Insulting the president is punishable by up to three years in prison. During martial law (from September 27 to December 12), the authorities blocked access to some websites and social networks. Even YouTube, Twitter and Instagram were blocked.) The blocking of independent media outlets expressing critical views on the Internet continued.

Human rights activists reported that people were regularly summoned to police stations across the country, forced to remove posts critical of the government on social media, and threatened with various punishments if they did not comply. In many cases, the government selectively turned off or restricted Internet access during political protests.

The websites of Voice of America, Radio Liberty, Azerbaijani Azadliq, Bastainfo.com, Criminal.az, Topxeber.az, Fia.az, Monitortv.info, Xural.com, Az24saat.org, Anaxaber.az and Arqument. az, as well as Meydan TV remained blocked.

On April 13, the authorities cut off the Internet and telephone communications of the chair of the Popular Front Party Ali Karimli and his wife. Their telephone service was restored, although there were nighttime disruptions throughout the year.  By December 31, Karimli and his wife did not have access to the Internet. On June 23, the Nasimi District Court refused to consider the lawsuit filed by Karimli and his wife, challenging the government's denial of Internet and telephone access.

From May 15 to the morning of May 19, the news sites Turan.az and its subsidiary Contact.az were subjected to a massive cyber-attack and were blocked twice. The attack came after the websites published articles criticizing the government's actions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were strong indications that the government was monitoring the Internet communications of civil society activists. Activists were detained and often sentenced to administrative arrest for criticizing the government and human rights violations. -02D-