Azerbaijan
OVERVIEW
Human rights defenders in Azerbaijan are subject to harassment, threats, intimidation, and often violent repression. Organisations and individuals voicing dissent can be accused of defamation and their activities stifled.
Amendments to the NGO law, passed by parliament in June 2009, allowed authorities to put NGOs under increased government control. According to a decree issued in December 2009, all grants should be registered with the Ministry of Justice.
Several independent journalists and editors have been arbitrarily imprisoned on spurious charges, opposition newspapers have been seized and radio stations have lost their licence to broadcast on FM frequencies. The government failed to investigate several incidents of violence against journalists. Human rights defenders speaking out against unfair governmental practices are at risk of being sued for libel. Legislation on defamation is used to protect public officials from criticism and has lead to self-censorship by journalists, who are often intimidated.
Human rights defenders standing for free and fair elections and working on election monitoring have reported violent repression as well as threats and intimidation in the run-up to elections.
Freedom of assembly is severely restricted and many demonstrations in defence of human rights were violently dispersed by the police. Many cases have been reported of human rights defenders accused of 'violating social order' because they organised protests or other peaceful activities.
Azerbaijan's legal framework presents a largely inhospitable environment for the defense of human rights. Organisations seeking registration face administrative difficulties and increasingly unbearable financial obligations, which have the effect of further hindering their work.
