M.Gahramanly: Authorities destroy independent NGOs

The situation with the civil sector of Azerbaijan can be regarded as a deprivation of NGO independence, said Mirvari Gahramanli, the head of the Committee to Protect Oil Workers’ Rights. "Political parties, independent media and NGOs,  a pillar of democratization of the country, have to close. The government should think about  what forces will be released to the scene, " said Gahramanli, commenting on today's article by Fuad Aleskerov,  a head of department in the Presidential Administration  in  the newspaper" Azerbaijan ".

Gahramanli believes that the authorities continue the destruction of civil society under the pretext of improving the legislation. In fact,  the basis for the independent functioning of NGOs is eliminated.

Depriving civil society  of funding sources, authorities prevent the enlightenment, legal aid and human rights. The funds allocated by the government are not enough for the implementation of major projects.

According  to Gahramanli, just those NGOs that operate transparently have been suppressed.

"For many months our bank accounts have been frozen and we cannot work. Is it providing transparency?" said the human rights activist. Instead of surviving democratic structures, radical forces will emerge, but the authorities do not think about it, she said.-05B-