Forum of Independent NGOs and Media to Be Held

The Civil Society Protection Committee (CSPC) adopted a decision to hold a civic forum.

The forum will be held in mid-April and will discuss the problems of civil society, including NGOs registration, grants, blocking NGO accounts, a restriction on leaving civil society activists, criminal prosecution, violation of human rights and freedom of expression, solving the problem of political prisoners and others.

The head of the Movement for Democracy and Prosperity of Azerbaijan Gubad Ibadoglu denied the allegations made at the Civil Society Forum National Platform at the Eastern Partnership of the European Union meeting on the absence of challenges to NGOs - unlocking accounts, the termination of criminal cases, the lifting of restrictions on traveling abroad.

"All of these problems remain and no issue from the list of NGOs problems has ever been resolved," he said.

It was also confirmed by the coordinator of the Public Alliance Azerbaijan without Political Prisoners Oktay Gyulalyev against whom the criminal case filed in 2012 has not been completed. "The criminal case fabricated against my son, who became a victim of physical violence in 2013, has not been canceled either," Gyulalyev said.

Unlawful restrictions on the movement for a number of individuals remain, including those in relation to the investigative journalist Aynur Imranova, who is prohibited traveling abroad for treatment. "My litigation on the illegal restrictions on my movement is delayed by the authorities artificially, and there is no positive decision," Imranova said at the meeting.

At the upcoming forum, which is planned with participation of representatives of independent NGOs and media, all these issues will be discussed. -0-