Advocacy events on the situation in Azerbaijan

When: Tuesday, 16. June 2015
To: Tuesday, 23. June 2015

Repressive face of the European Olympic Games in Azerbaijan

Event at the 29th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council 16 June 2015, 11:00 – 12:30 Room XVII, Palais des Nations, Geneva

Recent years brought an intensified crackdown on the exercise of fundamental human rights in Azerbaijan that has shocked even seasoned observers. Without any regard for protections under domestic or international law, the authorities in Azerbaijan have targeted journalists, political opposition leaders, grassroots activists, and human rights defenders, including lawyers. Central to the government’s strategy to suppress criticism is the employment of politically-motivated criminal prosecutions and detentions. To do so, it has amended its legislation since 2009 in order to restrict rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. As a result, civil society in the country has been devastated. Leading figures of civil society have fled the country, are forced into hiding such as IRFS’ Emin Huseynov or have been detained, such as amongst many others human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev, human rights defenders Rasul Jafarov, Leyla Yunus, and her husband Arif Yunus, independent election observer Anar Mammadli, investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, opposition leader Ilgar Mammadov, as well as N!DA activists. Since 12 June, Azerbaijan is hosting the first of its sort European Olympic Games. This event will shine light on the repression and imprisonment of civil society, of which these European Olympics will be a sad symbol.

Speakers: Dinara Yunus   (Daughter of detained human rights defenders Leyla and Arif Yunus)

 Idrak Abbasov  ( Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) )

 Gulnara Akhundova( International Media Support)

 Florian Irminger (Human Rights House Foundation)

Twitter – #realBaku2015

From the Council of Europe Chairmanship to the European Games

A year of human rights violations in Azerbaijan

Event at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Tuesday, 23 June 2015, 13:00–14:00 Room 5, Palais de l’Europe, Strasbourg

Recent years brought an intensified crackdown on the exercise of fundamental human rights in Azerbaijan that has shocked even seasoned observers. Without any regard for protections under domestic or international law, the authorities in Azerbaijan have targeted journalists, political opposition leaders, grassroots activists, and human rights defenders, including lawyers. Central to the government’s strategy to suppress criticism is the employment of politically-motivated criminal prosecutions and detentions. It has also amended laws regulating NGOs, making it extremely difficult for them to receive foreign funding. One year ago President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan addressed PACE. He denied the country had human rights problems and strenuously denied anyone was in prison on politically motivated charges. Today, the crackdown that had wracked Azerbaijan’s civil society when President Aliyev made his speech has reached unprecedented levels. During its June session, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe should clearly denounce such moves as they contradict values of the Council of Europe, the obligations of all Council of Europe members under European human rights law, and the commitments that Azerbaijani freely took upon itself when it became a member of the Council of Europe. This event will shine light on the repression and imprisonment of civil society, of which the first European Olympic Games, hosted by Azerbaijan in June 2015, were a sad symbol.

The Parliamentary Assembly will discuss a report on Azerbaijan prepared by the co-rapporteurs (available at http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/News/News-View-EN.asp?newsid=5631&lang=2&cat=3).

The event will not be live webcasted and will be held right before the debate in PACE plenary session about Azerbaijan.

Speakers: Dinara Yunus   (Daughter of detained human rights defenders Leyla and Arif Yunus)

Dominika Bychawska-Siniarska (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights)

Giorgi Gogia  (Human Rights Watch)

John Dalhuisen  (Amnesty International)

Kenan Aliyev ( Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)