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The analytical service of Turan Agency, determined 10 most important events of 2006. The list includes the first official visit of Ilham Aliyev to USA, activity start of Baku-Tbilisi-Jeykhan pipeline as well as closure of ANS broadcasting and expel of Azadlig party and several mass media outlets from the building at Khagani 33. (29-DEC-06)
 

On the 28-th of December, President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree to approve national plan of actions for human rights protection. Preamble of the decree reads that the plan has been adopted with the purpose to continue reforms in field of human rights, to bring national standard acts in this field in full correspondence with international standards, to improve state agencies’ activities from viewpoint of human rights, to expand legal education of population and develop relationships between state and civil society. (29-DEC-06)
 

The “Institute of Human Rights and Civil Stance,” a local NGO in the Republic of Azerbaijan, determined people who distinguished themselves in the field of human rights and building a civil society in 2006, most of the recipients were members of the press. “The freedom of speech and freedom of the media situations are getting worse. However, despite of human rights violations, the number of people struggling for citizens´ rights and freedoms is growing”, said the director of the Institute Ilgar Ibrahimoglu (on the right). (26-DEC-06)
 

The oppositional political parties started to propose alternative methods to influence the negative processes in the public-political life of the country. The “Azadlig” bloc discusses its temporary suspension, while the ADP plans to initiate the joint “national forum” to start the dialogue with the government. (23-DEC-06)
 

The students of Independent University stopped the long-lasting hunger strike for a while. This protest action is temporarily suspended for a big pressure of national and international community because of the sharp deterioration of students’ health state. The court on the case still continues. (21-DEC-06)
 

The suspension of the ban on ANS TV means local retransmission of the BBC, Radio Free Europe and Voice of America on its FM frequency, 101.7 FM. But ANS TV could be forced off the air again in February if the government reassigns its frequencies. (15-DEC-06)
 

ANS TV channel, which had been banned to broadcast since 24 November 2006, was allowed to resume broadcasting by the National TV and Radio Council (NTRC). Being explained by the “goodwill of the president Aliyev”, the decision of the NTRC allows ANS to broadcast its previous frequencies until the release of the tender results in February 2007. Participation of ANS in the tender was one of the conditions for the temporary restoration of ANS broadcast. (12-DEC-06)
 

On December 7 the New York office of the Committee to Protect Journalists released the statement on the case of Sakit Zakhidov. ‘The Republic of Azerbaijan Court of Appeals should reverse a ruling excluding defense witnesses in the appeal of Sakit Zakhidov and release the ailing journalist’ reads the statement. (08-DEC-06)
 

“Establishment of the Human Rights House in Baku is a priority for 2007” was one of the conclusions of the annual meeting of HRHF in Zagreb, held in November 2006. The representatives from HRH Baku, taking part in the meeting, shared with the results and conclusions with the other members of HRH Baku. (04-DEC-06)