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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)

On Tuesday, the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety unveiled its annual report, entitled “Journalist Safety and Press Freedom in the Republic of Azerbaijan.”  The report consists of 7 pages, including 6 different sections and pictures. According to the report, in 2006 press freedom in the Republic of Azerbaijan deteriorated and attacks against journalists increased. (23-JAN-07)

The night from the 19-th to the 20-th of January 1990 became one more black page in the history of Republic of Azerbaijan. On this night 131 innocent people were killed and 250 injured by the Russian punitive force which entered the Azerbaijani border in tanks to suspend the people’s will to independence. Republic of Azerbaijan, mourning on Shehids (Martyrs) at the 17-th anniversary of that awful night, recognizes it to be the crucial night leading to independence. (20-JAN-07)

In 2006 Annual Report of Human Rights Watch, there is given a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including a special section on media freedom problems in the Republic of Azerbaijan. “Journalists, particularly those associated with opposition publications, face violence and criminal charges” says the report, listing the cases of assaults to journalists. (15-JAN-07)

Yesterday, January 13, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, a youth activist, Chairman of the local branch of the international youth organization AIESEC (http://www.aiesec.org ) was arrested by the police. He is reported to have been kept in the isolation confinement of the Narimanov district police office (Baku city). (14-JAN-07)

“Journalists were subjected to constant and very strong pressure. I hope these problems will be resolved in 2007 and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of press, will be observed” said Robin Seaword, acting head of OSCE office in the Republic of Azerbaijan. OSCE is deeply concerned about the latest attacks on journalists. (13-JAN-07)

At the end of February, Holly Cartner Executive Director Europe and Central Asia division Human Rights Watch sent a letter to Republic of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, expressing the deep concern about the rapidly deteriorating environment for independent media in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The letter urged the President to take steps to end impunity for violence against journalists and ensure that Republic of Azerbaijan complies with its international commitments to freedom of expression and the press. (28-FEB-07)
 

Having documented a number of incidents in which journalists were seriously assaulted by unknown actors, including the most recent assaults on Ali Orujov and Nijat Huseynov, Amnesty International launched the Campaign. The Campaign includes the action of sending courteous letters in Azeri, Russian, English, Turkish or your other language on the concern about the attacks on Ali Orujov and Nijat Huseynov to urge the police and prosecution authorities to provide information to the general public on the scope, methods, findings and progress of investigations into attacks on journalists. (12-JAN-07)