The legal framework for the protection and promotion is sufficient in Azerbaijan. However, the problem is that these laws are not implemented and the authorities do not respect the legal framework. This made the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) difficult, since the issues raised by member States of the Human Rights Council had to deal with the implementation of the legal situation. Azerbaijan’s State Delegation, headed by Khalaf Khalafov, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, defended Azerbaijan’s policies and said the human rights protection will even be reinforced if the amendments to the Constitution are accepted (a referendum will be held in 2009).

The Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan and the Human Rights House Foundation met with several State Delegations, to inform them about the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. France recommended that Azerbaijan “ensure the full exercise of freedom of expression and of press, internet, radio or television.” It recommended Azerbaijan first to issue a standing invitation to the Special Procedures, and second to “ensure that its media regulations promote diversity among media outlets in line with international standards and best practices,”

Norway also recommended Azerbaijan to implement active protection of journalists and human rights defenders: complaints of harassment of journalists and human rights defenders should receive prompt response and adequate measures for their safety should be taken. “Finally Norway recommended that the State officials are discouraged from continuing this current practice of instituting lawsuit against journalists and human rights defenders that publish criticism.”

The interventions of France and Norway show, that the situation of human rights defenders and the exercise of freedom of expression and opinion are under great pressure in Azerbaijan, as the report published by the Human Rights Centre shows.

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