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It is time for States to act on Azerbaijan at the UN Human Rights Council, to stop the continued pressure on civil society and waves of attacks and arrests against human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, young activists, and anyone critical of the government.

Some 50 member and partner NGOs of Human Rights Houses have written to the Azerbaijani President and authorities to call for the immediate and unconditional release of photojournalist, blogger and human rights defender Mehman Huseynov.

In a letter to Member States of the UN Human Rights Council, 85 civil society organisations, coming from all regions, urge delegations to
support the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

(Updated 8 March) Marina Poghosyan works against corruption in Armenia. She now faces charges of extortion. Human rights organisations have linked the trial to the work of the human rights defender’s organisation in uncovering illegal activities involving officials in the country.

Mehman Huseynov was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after he complained of having been tortured by police. Human Rights House Foundation calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a prominent international coalition, should suspend Azerbaijan’s membership for failing to carry out key reforms, a coalition of 21 groups including Human Rights Watch, ARTICLE 19, and International Media Support said today. The EITI, during its board meeting in Bogota, Colombia, on March 8 and 9, 2017, will review Azerbaijan’s efforts to ease its repression of civil society groups as the EITI had required.

Акцыі супраць Дэкрэту № 3 аб папярэджанні сацыяльнага ўтрыманства прайшлі ў нядзелю, 26 лютага, у чатырох буйных гарадах Беларусі. Цяпер на ўдзельнікаў “Маршаў недармаедаў” пачалі масава складаць пратаколы аб адміністрацыйных правапарушэннях.

“In Croatia, constitutional values are now questioned in the media and by government officials. Yet 65 percent of people support the rights in the constitution, such as gender equality and women’s rights; we need these people to not stay silent and to stand up to defend these rights.”

Protests against the President’s Decree No. 3 “On the prevention of social encumbrance” were held on Sunday, 26 February in four major cities of Belarus. Now participants of the “Marches of Non-Parasites” are massively becoming subjects to the administrative violation protocols.

“We, as human rights defenders, do not believe that people stand beside sufferance without compassion. People said “never again,” and their will has been a lasting peace.”

The United Nations Human Rights Council must act to stop Azerbaijan’s continued crackdown on human rights defenders and civil society. Despite repeated warnings and recommendations from international and European human rights bodies, the Azerbaijani authorities continue to disregard their obligations under international human rights law.

This side event brings together Azerbaijani human rights defenders with UN and State representatives to outline their different perspectives on the situation, and call for the international community to respond.

The Human Rights Council opens today in Geneva. For Croatia, it carries strong symbolic value: it is the first time that it will attend as a member of the United Nations’ highest body to promote human rights.