Human rights advocacy and campaigning became impossible in the current climate in Azerbaijan: the “Sport for Rights” campaign consisting of around 40 human rights organisations and networks, arranged protests across Europe to mark the opening ceremony of the Games.

In Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, Istanbul, Kiev, London, Oslo, Prague, San Foca (Italy), Tbilisi, Warsaw, and Zagreb, as well as in Belarus and Russia online, protesters today called for the end to the ongoing human rights crackdown in Azerbaijan and for the release of the country’s jailed human rights defenders, journalists and activists,.

Head of Advocacy of the Human Rights House Foundation, Florian Irminger, calls for action: “The international community must stop honoring Azerbaijan and clearly request the release of detained human rights defenders, journalists and activists. The Azerbaijani government uses millions of Azerbaijani manat to host a game and promote itself abroad, whilst key civil society leaders are jailing and all critics are silenced at home.” 

Human rights defenders from various NGOs assembled symbolically in Geneva, at the Place of Nations in front of the United Nations, to protest the detention of their colleagues in Azerbaijan.

ALES BIALIATSKI CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF AZERBAIJANI HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

One year after Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski was released from prison he is advocating for his colleagues in Azerbaijan:

“In the near future the European games will be conducted in Azerbaijan. Athletics from nearly every European country will take part in the games. It is of course very sad that the first time this games will be held, it is in Azerbaijan-a country that constantly violates human rights and democratic freedoms, and where the situation is getting worse every month.

The authorities in authoritarian states like Azerbaijan, like Belarus, use sports events for political achievements. What should have been a celebration of sports becomes a weapon for ideology. We have seen it in the thirties when it was used by the German fascists regime during the Olympic, and we see how it is used the same way by other authoritarian states.

Therefore everyone who travels to Azerbaijan to this games, need to understand what is going on, know about it and if they have the chance, raise their voice against human rights violations in Azerbaijan, against the fact that the prisons are filled with dozens of dozens of innocent political and civil activists.

Sport should be fair, sport should be for everyone and not a tool for authoritarian regimes.”


In Oslo, the Human Rights House joined the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in a call for the release of political prisoners in Azerbaijan.


Sport for Rights campaign

“Sport for Rights” was launched in the aftermath of the campaign “Sing for Democracy” organised in relation to the Eurovision hosted by Azerbaijan in 2012. “Sport for Rights” is today an international campaign, because its designer, the human rights defender Rasul Jafarov, has been jailed in Azerbaijan, and sentenced to 6.5 years imprisonment.