Interactive platform does not reflect the will of the independent civil society

Baku / 21.09.16 / Turan: A large group of civil society activists criticized the creation by the authorities and pro-government NGOs a Government Dialogue Platform Civil Society for the Promotion of Open Government. The statement recalled that on 9 September at the initiative of the Council for State Support to NGOs under the President of Azerbaijan with the participation of government agencies and a number of NGO created a Government Dialogue Platform Civil Society for the Promotion of Open Government. On August 1, 2016 twenty six representatives of civil society appealed to the parties with the initiative to create in Azerbaijan Open Government Platform. However, the Council of State Support to NGOs invited to the establishment of dialogue platform only three co-authors of the declaration. The criteria in the dialog platform of candidates from civil society is unclear. According to its composition in the Dialog Platform, were only those who wish to work with the government.

Mechanism of management of tools are unknown. It is supposed to regulate its activity not by  the Regulations, but by the General Regulations.  The election procedure, powers and term of activity coordinator dialogue platform is also unknown. Memorandum of Conversational platform implies that its activities will be limited to only the monitoring of the National Plan of Action for 2016-2018 for the promotion of Open Government, and does not fully cover the principles, criteria and international initiative Open Government Partnership. Authors of the statement believe that the Dialogue platform does not reflect the will of the independent civil society.

The purpose of this structure is to suppress critical voices on the initiative of the Open Government Partnership, narrowing the field of alternative views, and limited opportunities for real dialogue between the government and civil society. Therefore, the authors believe that the new Interactive platform will not be able to objectively assess the  activity of the  government, will not contribute to the fulfillment of the National Action Plan for the Promotion of Open Government Platform.

To this end, for the consolidation of efforts of independent civil society organizations is expected to begin discussions on a coalition or a network of NGOs. The statement was signed by 28 civil society activists, including lawyers Asabali Mustafayev, Akif Gurbanov, Anar Mammadli, Alasgar Mammadli, Khalid Malaga, Khalid Bagirov, human rights defenders Rasul Jafarov, Ogtay Gyulalyev Samir Kazimli Bashir Suleymanli journalists - Aynur Imranov, Mehman Aliyev, Avaz Zeynalli, Rovshan Hajibeyli, economists - Azer Mehdiyev, Gubad Ibadoglu, Rovshan Agayev, Samir Aliyev, Vahid Maharramov and others.

On May 4, 2016 in Cape Town at a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Partnership Open Government Azerbaijan's status was downgraded from full member to "inactive country" due to the pressures of civil society institutions. Azerbaijan was given a year to correct the situation and the implementation of commitments. During this period, the authorities should take steps to address civil- society.—06d-