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The Rafto Foundation has today received information through the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) that Alim Abdureyim, the youngest son of the 2004 Rafto Prize Laureate, Uyghur human rights defender and former prisoner of conscience, Rebiya Kadeer, was sentenced on Monday November 27 to seven years in prison on charges of tax evasion, and fined RMB 500,000 (USD 62,500). Rebiya Kadeer visited Bergen, Norway on the occasion of the Rafto Foundation´s 20th Anniversary in the beginning of November. (29-NOV-06)
 

The international media watchdog organizations are concerned about the media situation in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Reporters Without Borders says that the measures taken by Azeri authorities show that they are taking a harder line towards the independent media despite the appeals from press freedom organizations, the European Union, the OSCE and the United States. The Committee to Protect Journalists state that they view the closure of ANS and the eviction of opposition news outlets as a clear assault on the independent media. (28-NOV-06) 
  

StOn the 27-th of November, the national organization – the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety – released a statement, condemning the closure of ANS and the illegal and aggressive eviction of all organizations from the Azadlig Newspaper´s building. IRFS believes that this is by far the cruelest step that Azerbaijan´s government has taken in its attempt to strangle off the independent press.  The article contains the full text of the statement. (28-NOV-06)
 

The International Crisis Group published a new media release “Azerbaijan: Attacks on Media Hurt Conflict Resolution “. The release supposes that the obvious deterioration of the media freedom and human rights impacts the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem in a negative way. See the article with the text of the media release. (27-NOV-06)
 

On the 27-th of November, Baku-based analyst of the International Crisis Group, Vugar Gojayev, released the article “Azerbaijan: Authorities silence outspoken media”. The author analyzes the current pressure on media, referring to the most recent facts of attacks on mass media. The full text of the article is given below. (27-NOV-06)
 

The students of the Independent Republic of Azerbaijan University continue the hunger strike since the 21-st of November. The protest is held for restoration of the students’ rights for education. Despite of the numerous calls of the respectful people to stop the action, the students insist on the their struggle until the victory. The health state of several students has already been significantly worsened. (26-NOV-06)
 

The representatives of different international organizations, taking part in the annual conference of the Human Rights House Foundation in Zagreb, Republic of Croatia, disscussed the uneasy stage the media of Republic of Azerbaijan is at. Being seriously concerned with the ongoing attack on media, the representatives of 13 organizations signed the protest letter on the 25-th of November for support of freedom of expression and democracy. The text of the letter is given below. (26-NOV-06)
 

A leading opposition party as well as several pro-oppositional information agencies was evicted from their offices on the 25-th of November, a day after the decision of the Economic Court N1. About 100 police surrounded the building housing the editorial offices of Azadlig, while law enforcement officers removed the organizations´ property and carted it away in trucks. Police did not let people in and kept journalists and foreign diplomats, whose countries have expressed concern about freedoms in the Republic of Azerbaijan, at least 100 meters away. (26-NOV-06)

On the 24-th of November the National Radio and Television Council (NRTC) adopted a decision not to prolong the term of the license for the biggest independent broadcaster ANS TV channel, which had violated the broadcasting law and disregarded official warnings and fines. On the same day, the employees of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies sealed all broadcasting equipment of ANS Company. (25-NOV-06)
 

The hunger strike of the representatives of mass media outlets, started since the 9-th of November causes serious concern.  The health of some strikers deteriorate, today the editor of Azadlig newspaper has been hospitalized. Despite of the strong urge of the international organizations, the government demonstrates full ignorance to the situation. Strikers demand to put end to the attempts of authorities to evict the Azadlig  newspaper  and other  mass media and organizations  from the building in Khagani 33 St., where  the newspaper  has been located  since 1992. (24-NOV-06)

The ongoing pressure on the mass media in the Republic of Azerbaijan caused the creation of one more organization – Coordination Council for Press Protection on the 24-th of November. Considering the freedom of speech as an integral part of human rights, the Coordination Council undertook a set of obligations for protecting journalists and promoting the fair conditions for all mass media outlets. (24-NOV-06)
 

On the 23-rd of November, about 100 activists of Popular Front Party attempted to hold a protest action, protesting against the government on eviction of the party and Azadlig newspaper from its offices. The police violently dispersing the action, detained 30 people. The particular rudeness was observed toward the protesting women and journalists. (24-NOV-06)