In response to a court in Baku sentencing one of Azerbaijan"s most prominent independent journalists, Mehman Aliyev, to three months pre-trial detention before being tried for alleged "abuse of power" and on other charges, Freedom House issued the following statement:
"The charges against Mehman Aliyev and now his pre-trial detention are part of Azerbaijan"s effort to silence independent journalism and all critical voices," said Marc Behrendt, director of Eurasia programs at Freedom House. "Mehman Aliyev directs the Turan news agency, the country"s last remaining independent news agency, which has announced it has no choice but to close as of September 1. The government targeted the news agency by filling unfounded charges of financial irregularities, which has led to a freeze on the agency"s bank accounts. The government"s actions against Turan and its leading journalist are grave attacks against press freedom."
Azerbaijan is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2017, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2016, and receives a democracy score of 6.93 on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2017.
Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights.
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Starting from November 25, dedicated traffic lanes allocated for COP29 conference participants will lose their exclusive status and will be open to all vehicles, according to the Land Transport Agency (AYNA).
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On Sunday, November 24, variable cloudiness is expected in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula, with occasional overcast skies. There will be fog and drizzle in some areas during the night and morning, and a brief possibility of rain during the day. A moderate southeast wind will blow, changing direction to northwest in the evening.
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The leading mobile operator participated in a pivotal session focused on sustainability and innovation. The 15th Sustainable Innovation Forum 2024, supported by “Azercell Telecom” LLC, took place on November 13-14 in Baku, bringing together approximately 1,000 senior global leaders in climate action. This prestigious event united representatives from business, finance, government, regional organizations, and NGOs to address pressing sustainability challenges, explore innovative solutions, and forge partnerships to accelerate global climate efforts.
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"The biggest challenge in the education sector is the low number of fully staffed schools," said Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev on November 20 during a joint session of the Parliamentary Committees on Agrarian Policy, Family, Women, and Children Issues, and Science and Education. The session was held to discuss the draft law on the "State Budget for 2025," according to local media reports.
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