The seminar, to take place at the Institution Fritt Ord´s premises in Oslo December 12th, will have a dual focus, partly on the human rights situation itself, partly on what the international community, and in particular all international companies currently turning their attention to Azerbaijan to be part of the oil bonanza, can do to help facilitating the right conditions for democracy to grow and human rights to be observed. At the moment, it is instead the exact opposite that is happening. Out of the 625 arrested immediately after the 15th of October elections, 95 are still in prison. The maximum term for ´incitement to riot,´ which is the accusation any or all of these may face, is 12 years. The arrests coincide with an already well documented increase in the authorities´ use of torture. Among those who have brought this claim beyond doubt are the Council of Europe and the OSCE. As a meeting place between central Azerbaijani human rights defenders, among them Leyla Yunus of the Baku-based Institute for Peace and Democracy, and the international expertise on the entire Central Asia, the seminar will also address the limitations on the freedom of opinion, expression, speech and publication.