Positive Change Movement Ceased Activities

The youth movement Positive Change has ceased its activities indefinitely. This was announced by the leader of this independent public organization, a former political prisoner, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev.

"With great regret I have to inform you that as a result of amendments to the NGO law, recently adopted by the Azerbaijani authorities, the activities of our organization are virtually impossible," he wrote on his page on Facebook.

Recall that the organization has implemented a series of educational projects that increased social activity of youth to facilitate positive changes in the society and the formation of youth leaders in the recent years.

Note that the legislative amendments to the NGO law actually made it impossible for independent NGOs to obtain grants from foreign donors. At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities ignore these NGOs and do not give grants to them.

For this reason, the operations of about 30 NGOs, which authorities have blacklisted, calling the "fifth column" of the West, have been discontinued in Azerbaijan.

Official Baku says that some forces abroad fund these NGOs and use them as a tool to pressure the government of Azerbaijan.

* Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested in 2011 on charges of desertion and sentenced to 2 years. The international community and local human rights activists found him a political prisoner.  -16D-