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Civil society organisations call on EITI Board to suspend Azerbaijan
The letter from civil society organisations addresses board members of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), urging them to “suspend Azerbaijan from participation in EITI, due to continuous breach of the initiative’s requirements for fostering an enabling environment for civil society.”
Amid Azerbaijan’s suppression of public debate, no vote is free and fair
The referendum in Azerbaijan comes during only the latest wave of detentions and arrests against activists and journalists by the Azerbaijani authorities, and amid international criticism of the process and political environment during the electoral period, as well as of the amendments themselves.
Azerbaijan: “Rethink punitive approach to civil society”
Following recent visits to Azerbaijan by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Human Rights House Foundation calls on Azerbaijan and the international community to ensure these visits lead to positive changes in the country.
Azerbaijan continues to arbitrarily detain critical voices
On the opening day of the the 33rd UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Human Rights House Foundation gave a statement to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, raising concerns about Azerbaijan’s ongoing use of arbitrary detention to silence its critics.
Civil society leaders appeal to Jagland ahead of Azerbaijan referendum
On the 4th of September, several Azerbaijani civil society leaders, including former political prisoners that have worked closely with HRHF, appealed to Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland to refer proposed constitutional changes to the Venice Commission.
Sport for Rights – Renewed Human Rights Crackdown Ahead of Referendum
18 August 2016. Less than six weeks ahead of a constitutional referendum, the Azerbaijani authorities have unleashed a new wave of repression to silence critical voices. The undersigned members of the Sport for Rights coalition condemn this renewed crackdown, and call on the Azerbaijani authorities to take immediate steps to improve the human rights situation in the country, starting with the release of political prisoners.
Azerbaijani activists arrested in run up to referendum on expanding presidential powers
Several Azerbaijani activists including; Natig Jafarli, Elshan Gasimov, Togrul Ismayiıov, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, and Elgiz Qahreman have been arrested in the run up to a national referendum on expanding presidential powers. HRHF calls for the authorities in Azerbaijan to cease intimidating opposition and dissent during the referendum period. Additionally, we encourage the Council of Europe to hold Azerbaijan to its standards by guaranteeing the right to participate in public life during the referendum period, including the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
Open debate with UN Secretary General Candidates
On the 12 of July at the UN, high-level representatives from States, civil society and the private sector discussed the human rights situation in the world. There was also a first televised live debate with the candidates for Secretary General at the United Nations, which was open for questions from the public.
HRC32 must address human rights situation in Azerbaijan
On 23 June 2016, HRHF made a statement to the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. HRHF made this intervention under Item 4 of the Council agenda: “Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention.”