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 Freedom House published its annual report on media situation in the world  for 2004. The report,  Freedom of the Press: A Global Survey of Media Independence provides numerical rankings and rates each country’s media as “Free,” “Partly Free,” or “Not Free.”  Azerbaijan was indicated at 158th place with a status of “not free media”. In 2004, due to the absence of an independent judiciary as well as significant financial pressures, the Azerbaijani press remained dependent on the government and the oligarchs. (30-APR-2005)

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), would like to express its deep concern over new threats against several human rights defenders in the Republic of Azerbaijan (1-MAY-2005).
 

A number of Azerbaijani human rights activists have met with the Norwegian parliamentarian Trond Giske (photo), the second Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Family, Cultural Affairs and Government Administration at the Norwegian Parliament. “(29-APR-2005)
 

Since Wednesday, a report is available on the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights website (www.hfhrpol.waw.pl ) concerning the state of human rights observance in the Republic of Poland in 2004. The report was prepared for the European Commission by the President of Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights Marek Antoni Nowicki – the European Union’s expert on Fundamental Rights Issues. (29-APR-05)

In the most recent report on the war crime trials in Croatian courts, the OSCE mission to Republic of Croatia recognized improvement in Croatian judiciary. This improvement also brings a positive reflect on the willingnes of the Croatian courts to take over some of the ICTY cases, according to the ICTY Completion Strategy. However, the report underlines the neccesity of additional reforms in order to ensure impartial adjudication of war crimes in the Republic of Croatia. (29-APR-05)
 

Strong evidence has emerged of the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Burma Army against the Karenni people. A draft report from Christian Solidarity Wordlwide International President Dr Martin Panter presents evidence of chemical weapons use during an incident which is alleged to have happened near Burma’s north western border with Thailand on 15 February. (29-APR-05)
 

In the most recent report on the war crime trials in Croatian courts, the OSCE mission to Republic of Croatia recognized improvement in Croatian judiciary. This improvement also brings a positive reflect on the willingnes of the Croatian courts to take over some of the ICTY cases, according to the ICTY Completion Strategy. However, the report underlines the neccesity of additional reforms in order to ensure impartial adjudication of war crimes in the Republic of Croatia. (29-APR-05)
 

A number of Azerbaijani human rights activists have met with the Norwegian parliamentarian Trond Giske (photo), the second Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Family, Cultural Affairs and Government Administration at the Norwegian Parliament.
 “We have updated Mr. Giske about the current problems of democratization, the deteriorating situation with human rights, the pressure on independent media on the eve of the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan”, said Fuad Hasanov, director of the “Against Violence” Human Rights Center (AVHRC). (29-APR-2005)

Republic of Azerbaijan: “Independent journalists continue to be harassed. After the murder of one of the most prominent critical editor Elmar Huseinov, journalists  fear for their lives. Six months before holding of the parliamentary elections in November, some of the basic pre-conditions for holding free and fair elections – freedom of expression and the right to hold peaceful meetings – are not met”, reads a statement of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) (28-APR-2005).