On Monday the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar met with group of human rights activists.
It discussed the situation with human rights and freedoms in Azerbaijan in the light of the U.S. State Department report on human rights in 2012.
During the meeting, they discussed such issues as human rights, freedom of speech and the rule of law.
According to the annual report released in April by the U.S. State Department on the state of human rights in the world, the most serious problems in Azerbaijan are:
1. Restrictions on freedom of expression, including intimidation, arrests, physical pressure on journalists and pro-democratic activists.
2. Restrictions on freedom of assembly.
3. Unfair trials, including arrests for political reasons, government influence on the courts, prolonged pre-trial detention.
4. Violation of property rights and forced evictions without adequate compensation.
In addition, torture committed by the police and in prison, violation of privacy, restrictions on religious freedom of a number of unregistered Muslim communities, corruption at all levels of government, the refusal to register human rights NGOs, etc.
According to Azerbaijani human rights activists, since the beginning of the year the situation has worsened.—0—
Politics
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On November 28, the Tbilisi City Court ruled to extradite Afgan Sadigov, the head of the website Azel.TV, to Azerbaijan. This was reported by his wife Sevinj Sadigova. The defense will appeal the court's decision.
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The leader of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), Ali Kerimli, has stated that his internet blockade has become more severe. “For almost five years, I have been under an internet blockade. But recently, it has taken on an openly blatant and shameless form,” Kerimli said during a press conference today.
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On November 27, an online hearing took place at the Khatai District Court regarding a petition from the defense for the release of Alaskar Mammadli, the founder of Toplum TV, under house arrest. Mammadli has been in custody at Baku’s Detention Center No. 1. The court denied the petition, Mammadli's brother, Nasimi Mammadli.
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On November 28, another hearing took place in the case of public activist Ilhamiz Guliyev. During the proceedings, the court reviewed a response from the 28th Police Station of the Yasamal District in Baku. At the previous hearing, the defense had requested that the court obtain footage from the surveillance cameras at this police station, where Guliyev was taken on December 4 of last year. However, the police response stated that the video footage had not been preserved.
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