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A group of public human rights and environmental organizations and public activists launched the campaign on protecting the historical-cultural heritage of Baku city. The campaign was caused by a serious concern for the numerous ongoing constructions by ruining the architectural buildings of historical and cultural importance to the country. The new buildings and city planning seriously harms the green parts of Baku too, as hundreds of old trees are cut off to make the pavement easier. (15-FEB-07)
 

“Last year condition of press and freedom of speech continued deteriorating in Azerbaijan” was the main conclusion of US-based International Committee to Protect Journalists (ICPJ) in their annual report of 2006. “President Ilham Aliyev and his allies used courts as an instrument against independent media, instituted criminal  cases on charge of defamation, brought false charges on illicit drug trafficking and jailed journalists, who criticized  the government”, reads the report. (10-FEB-07)
 

The PACE spring session, CE, plans to discuss the fulfillment of commitments undertaken by Republic of Azerbaijan during admittance to Council of Europe. CE continues cooperation with Republic of Azerbaijan to achieve “wide-scale democracy,” says Jean-Louis Loran, CE General Director for Political Affairs. CE aims working to reform Electoral Code, improve principles of formation of electoral commissions, organization of elections and voting, vote counting and procedure of administration of complaints. (05-FEB-07)
 

Two more sentences in the media world of Republic of Azerbaijan – the journalists of Nota Bene Newspaper Faramaz Allahverdiyev and Sardar Alibeyli were convicted on the claim put forth by Interior Minster Ramil Usubov and the head of the State Committee to Work with Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov. They were found guilty under the Articles 147 and 148 of the Criminal Code (libel) for, which appeared in the December 3-6, 2006 edition of Nota Bene. (02-FEB-07)
 

“The regime frequently uses violence and threats against the media and the country [Azerbaijan] came near the bottom of the 2006 worldwide press freedom index” is the conclusion of Reporters Without Borders according to their Annual Report 2006. The report gives thorough description of the cases of assaulted and imprisoned media representatives in the Republic of Azerbaijan. (01-FEB-07)

On the 28-th of January, the opposition Musavat Party held the demonstration on Ukraine square to protest the government’s decision to increase prices for energy resources and public utilities. About 2,000 people joined the demonstration and carried banners with slogans “No to the Hikes!”, “Don’t Make People Go Hungry!”, “Listen To the People and Decrease Prices!” (30-JAN-07)

The Supreme Assembly of Republic of Azerbaijan Democrat Party took the decision to change the political course to a more constructive, avoiding the radical position. According to ADP, the changes were taken for “the current situation in the country, opposition’s depression, ineffectiveness of the previous struggle”. However this decision for “constructive” dialogue with authorities is recognized by his colleagues from other opposition parties as the cooperation with the ruling party. (29-JAN-07)

Situation of democracy and fulfillment of commitments undertaken by Republic of Azerbaijan during admittance to Council of Europe were a focus of attention of the session of PACE Monitoring Committee in Strasbourg on the 23-rd of January. The report, prepared by PACE rapporteurs on Republic of Azerbaijan Andres Herkel and Tony Lloyd, expressed serious concern about deterioration in fields of human rights and freedom in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Attention was drawn to harassment of the independent media and opposition. (25-JAN-07)

Amnesty International released its annual report on 2006, which emphasized the facts of politically motivated arrests and physical assaults. According to AI, the contracting space for freedom of expression in the Republic of Azerbaijan, reveals a pattern of encroachment on the rights of members of civil society, and in particular journalists, to freedom of expression. (24-JAN-07)