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On 10 March 2011, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan ordered the Human Rights House Azerbaijan, partner of the international Human Rights House Network, to cease all activities immediately. According to the Ministry of Justice, in the future the Human Rights House Azerbaijan will be allowed to carry out activities only upon prior agreement with the State. The Human Rights House Network believes this measure is part of the escalated repression of the civil society in the last few weeks, in connection with the calls for pro-democracy demonstrations in March 2011.

Member organisations of the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan condemn the recent wave of arrests of youth activists and bloggers in connection with planned pro-democracy protests in the country, and call for their immediate release. Reports of restrictions on freedom of expression and pressure by the Azerbaijani authorities have escalated in recent weeks, as calls for pro-democracy protests – inspired by the events in the Middle East and North Africa – have gained momentum in the country.

Investigative reporting is a dangerous business in Azerbaijan. On the anniversary of Elmar Huseynov’s murder the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan gathered in Strasbourg to call for release of independent journalist Eynulla Fatullayev. They call on the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to fulfil its mandate by demanding the immediate release of imprisoned Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev during its 8-10 March human rights meeting.

Voluntary organisations, institutions and individuals worldwide are welcome to nominate candidates for the 2011 Rafto Prize for Human Rights. The Rafto Prize, awarded in memory of Norwegian professor Thorolf Rafto, is awarded to an individual or organisation that embodies and upholds the principles of the Human Rights Charter through activism or engagement.

Lawyers for Lawyers is an organisation that awards fellow lawyers who work to promote the rule of law and human rights in an exceptional way and who have been threatened or obstructed because of their work as a lawyer. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights has recommended Intiqam Aliyev, an Azerbaijani lawyer, for the Award.

Journalists and free speech supporters in the Republic of Azerbaijan look at the Council of Europe for guidance and the Council did not let them down. It’s now time for the Azerbaijani authorities to let Eynulla Fatullayev go, says Lucie Morillon, Head of the New Media Desk of Reporters Without Borders.

Representatives from four international non-governmental organisations, including Human Rights House Foundation, undertake a joint advocacy mission on 30 November – 2 December to the Council of Europe during the Ministers’ Deputies meeting to raise their serious concerns regarding the Azerbaijani government’s non-compliance with the European Court’s ruling in Fatullayev’s case.

HRHF, represented by Vugar Goyaev, manager of HRH Baku, travels to Strasbourg today as part of an NGO delegation to lobby for Azeri journalist Eynulla Fatullayev’s release. Reporters Without Borders and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers are also part of the joint advocacy effort.

Both Burma and Republic of Azerbaijan let their parliamentary elections, held on the same day – 7 November 2010 – be followed by the release of high-profile political prisoners. While the world condemned the unfair elections, the releases of Aung San Suu Kyi and two Azeri bloggers were widely applauded. Both regimes seem to want to turn international attention away from difficult topics.