Articles

Eurovision winner Loreen met with human rights defenders

Met with those fighting for human rights in Azerbaijan. Loreen did see an Azerbaijan far beyond the glittery front.

Published: June 1, 2012

Monday the 21st of May, the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest artist Loreen met with local human rights defenders in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The meeting came together in cooperation with Sing for Democracy, an local campaign that use Eurovision to focus on human rights in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Human Rights House and Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS), and also Civil Rights Defenders and Human Rights House Foundation.

The meeting was held at the premises of IRFS in the centre of Baku, and Loreen was introduced to different human rights issues in Azerbaijan, including property rights, attacks on journalist and editors, blackmailing, threats against human rights activists and imprisonment of political opponents.

Screening of the Sing for Democracy campaign video. Photo: Stian Skaret

Rasul Jafarov from Sing for Democracy showed Lorren around the premises and the photo exhibition. Photo: Stian Skaget

This t-shirt was handed over to Loreen by Robert Hårdt, executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders, one of the human rights organizations organazing the meeting.@
“Don’t be a donkey – support human rights in Azerbaijan!”. Photo: Stian Skaget

Rasul Jafarov welcomes Loreen. Maria Dahle, Executive Director Human Rights House Foundation and Robert Hårdt, Executive Director Civil Rights Defenders, in the back. Photo: Stian Skaget

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Azerbaijan – Baku

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