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The Women’s Council of Popular Front Party organized a press conference on the theme “Women for freedom of Expression” at International Press Center. The conference, held with participation of the representatives from political parties, human rights organizations and mass media, concluded that the freedom of expression is in serious danger in the Republic of Azerbaijan. (16-DEC-07)
            

The Radio Liberty correspondent, Ilgar Nasibov, sentenced to three months of imprisonment in Nakhichevan on 6 December, was released on the 10-th of December. According to the correspondent he was threatened and subjected to extreme psychological pressure in the prison. (13-DEC-07)
         

A number of events were held in the Republic of Azerbaijan on occasion of the International Human Rights Day, organized by national and international human rights actors. At all events the poor record of human rights, especially freedom of expression in the Republic of Azerbaijan was a main conclusion and special concern. (11-DEC-07)
         

Faina Kungurova, a 33-year-old political activist in the Republic of Azerbaijan, member of Republic of Azerbaijan Democratic Party, died in prison of apparent starvation on 8 November after a month of stay in the prison. She was the first female political prisoner to die in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Not refuting the official charges of drug possession and distribution, the human rights activists consider her arrest politically motivated.  (05-DEC-07)
    

Totally, from 1987 to 20 November 2007 there have been registered 1232 HIV-infected people in Azerbaijan; the number of deaths in this period is 192 people. However, on the 1-st of December, the international day of struggle against HIV/AIDS, there has been voiced a concern that the real number of HIV-infected people is much larger as people, being afraid of the stigma, do not pass the tests. (03-DEC-07)
  

The Society for Humanitarian Research conducted Master Classes on Human Rights, Conflict Transformation and Gender Issues in Lenkaran. The classes were organized for local representatives of human rights organizations and mass media in 28-30 November 2007, and were financially supported by the South Caucasus office of Henrich Boell Foundation. (01-DEC-07)
   

On the 28-th of November, the leaders of human rights organizations Novella Jafaroglu, Arzu Abdullayeva, Saida Gojamanly, Zaliha Tahirova and Saadat Benanyarly organized a press conference in the International Press Center on the topic “Human Rights in Republic of Azerbaijan in 2007”. (29-NOV-07)
     

The conference “Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression in the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Context of Local and International Legislation” started in the Republic of Azerbaijan on the 19-th of November. The conference opened with a 15-minute film prepared by the Presidential Administration Socio-Political Department, which presented the situation with freedom of expression in the Republic of Azerbaijan only from a positive standpoint. The film did not contain a word on murdered or imprisoned journalists. (20-NOV-07)

On 10 November 2007, the editor in chief of Azadlig newspaper Ganimat Zahidov (right) was arrested, being formally charged with committing hooliganism (Article 221.1) and inflicting minor bodily harm (Article 127.2.3). Thus, the father of four young children and the uncle of five children of his imprisoned brother, Sakit Zahidov – well-known “Azadlig” Newspaper satiric/journalist, Ganimat Zahidov can be imprisoned for a minimum of 3 years. (13-NOV-07)