RESOLUTION Forum "The current state of civil society: What to do for a change?"

At the forum "The current state of civil society: What to do for a change", held on May 19 in Baku, taking into account the difficulties  that non-governmental organizations and the media  faced in the course of their activities in recent years, and, realizing the importance of broad and systematic involvement of civil society institutions in nation-building, development of society,  the civil society representatives urge the authorities to:

1. Revise the legislation in the field of NGOs with a view to removing the restrictions on the activities in the field of registration of NGOs, their grants, complicating financial reporting, restrictions on the activities of international donors in Azerbaijan.

2. For the purpose of development and preparation of national action programs to start a dialogue with civil society to develop a program of action to create conditions for their harmonious development, the removal of all obstacles to the legislative and administrative measures to establish a permanent and constructive dialogue between the institutions of the state and society, including various spheres of life.

3. To create conditions stipulated by the constitution and international acts the for the realization of human rights in full, excluding the pressure on civil society activists, political functionaries, do not allow restrictions on freedom of movement, assembly, as well as  to put an end to the prosecution of journalists, civil society activists, to create conditions for implementation of the rule of law and judicial independence.

4. To ensure the ongoing development of freedom of expression and independence of the media, to remove all legislative provisions limiting the freedom of speech and the media, to adopt a law on defamation, release jailed journalists and bloggers, to stop the practice of criminal prosecution of journalists, to create conditions for the development of the foundations of economic independence of  media, the media advertising market development , removing  the restriction on the distribution of the print media, to raise to the level of international standards for the quality of the Internet, to remove all obstacles that restrict access to information,  and making it public.

5. To take steps to release as soon as possible all political prisoners, and implement the measures that need to turn Azerbaijan into a country without political prisoners.