Many had criticised the original legislation drawn up by President Ilham Aliev’s administration, which proposed drastic limitations on the financing and operations of rights groups, civil society organisations and others. Moreover, a newspaper or other publication found to have published a “biased article” three times within two years would have risked closure. The proposed amendments intended to increase the government’s control and scrutiny of the activities of journalists and human rights activists and to undermine their ability to monitor abuses and hold the authorities to account, said Amnesty International on Monday.
The parliament’s rejection of the restrictive measures is ever the more stunning considering the fact that the country seems to be stuck in a repressive spiral. In fact, the incumbent regime uses defamation provisions to obstruct investigative journalism, prevent public debate and stifle open criticism of the government, public officials and other powerful oligarchs. There are currently four journalists in jail on charges related to their journalistic activity.
In early 2009 authorities extended a clampdown on independent media outlets by banning Radio Liberty, Voice of America and BBC radio transmissions in local frequencies. From the end of May the country also introduced a new, harsher religion law and new penalties for producing, selling, circulating, importing and exporting religious literature without state permission.
Azerbaijan, with its vast oil and gas resources and important strategic role as ally of the West is able to shun international criticism. Ordinary Azerbaijanis understand that the West puts a premium on maintaining the flow of fuel rather than on promoting the rule of law and human rights.
The international community needs to be much more vocal in its criticism and to keep in mind that, as Taliyat Aliyev of the oppositional Democratic Party (ADP) said: “the opposition has been effectively swept away from the political scene, now the media and NGOs are under extensive assault”.
