In its report, downloadable, right, the South Caucasus Network for Human Rights Defenders also concluded that freedom of expression, the right to association and assembly, and journalists and human rights defenders are all under serious threat in Azerbaijan.
The UN Human Rights Committee began its 96th session today (13 July 2009) in Geneva. Four countries will be reviewed: Azerbaijan, Chad, the Netherlands, and Tanzania. The review of Azerbaijan will take place on 20-21 July 2009. However, the HR Committee has been briefed by Article 19 and the Human Rights House Foundation, among other NGOs on other countries, at its opening dialogue with NGOs.
Florian Irminger, left, Head of the Geneva office of the Human Rights House Foundation, made the HR Committee aware of the recent abusive detention of two journalists, Emin Milli (Abdullayev), Coordinator of Alumni Network (AN) Youth Organization and leader of ANTV Online TV, and one of OL Youth Organization’s coordinators, well-known video-blogger Adnan Hajizade. Irminger said that “this very recent event demonstrates the poor reality in Azerbaijan and reflects the situation in the country for human rights defenders and journalists.” He also spoke about freedom of association and assembly and mentioned that the organisations involved in the writing of the “Replies” show in their report that NGOs are under close surveillance and that peaceful demonstrations are regularly terminated by violent police interventions.
Contributions to this “Replies to the list of issues” were given by: Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, coordinator; International Student Cooperation; Legal Education Society; Association for the Protection of Women’s Rights; Society for Humanitarian Research; Media Rights Institute; Public Association for Assistance to Free Economy; Institute of Peace and Democracy. Some of these organisations are partners of the Human Rights House Azerbaijan in Baku.
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