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Tensions between the authorities and the opposition have been heating up ahead of the parliamentary elections due 6 November in the Republic of Azerbaijan. In a statement in April the Council of Europe said the approaching elections would be a fork in the road where “we may become witnesses either to fair and free elections or a bloody confrontation between thousands in the Republic of Azerbaijan.”  (23-MAY-2005)

The Human Rights House Foundation (HRH), Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) and  Swedish Helsinki Committee (SHC) have joinly sent an open letter to the Azeri President  I. Aliyev concerning the recent detention of opposition activists. HRH, NHC and SHC called for the Azerbaijani Government to immediately intervene to create an environment for civil society to act freely and without intimidation all over Republic of Azerbaijan. (20-MAY-2005)

According to official statistics, 2935 local non-governmental organizations operate in the Republic of Azerbaijan . The Ministry of Justice, the top body on granting registration, has registered only 1769 of them, while the rest 962 NGOs exist without registration. A report compiled by the OSCE office in Baku says that the registration of non-governmental organisations in Republic of Azerbaijan continues to be problematic.  (12-MAY-2005)
 

In the World Press Freedom Day the famous international organisation for support of freedom of Media Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) released its report about the situation with media in the World in 2004.  In the chapter devoted to Republic of Azerbaijan it is noted that the situation in the country worsened for pro-opposition journalists since the 2003 presidential elections. (4-MAY-2005)

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), would like to express its deep concern over new threats against several human rights defenders in the Republic of Azerbaijan.  (1-MAY-2005)

 Freedom House published its annual report on media situation in the world  for 2004. The report,  Freedom of the Press: A Global Survey of Media Independence provides numerical rankings and rates each country’s media as “Free,” “Partly Free,” or “Not Free.”  Azerbaijan was indicated at 158th place with a status of “not free media”. In 2004, due to the absence of an independent judiciary as well as significant financial pressures, the Azerbaijani press remained dependent on the government and the oligarchs. (30-APR-2005)

A number of Azerbaijani human rights activists have met with the Norwegian parliamentarian Trond Giske (photo), the second Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Family, Cultural Affairs and Government Administration at the Norwegian Parliament.
 “We have updated Mr. Giske about the current problems of democratization, the deteriorating situation with human rights, the pressure on independent media on the eve of the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan”, said Fuad Hasanov, director of the “Against Violence” Human Rights Center (AVHRC). (29-APR-2005)

“Independent journalists continue to be harassed and after the murder of one of the most prominent critical journalists Elmar Huseinov also fear for their lives. Six months before holding of the parliamentary elections, some of the basic pre-conditions for holding free and fair elections – freedom of expression and the right to hold peaceful meetings – are not met”,  reads a statement of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) expressing concerns over the situation with the nearing parliamentary elections due November 6, 2005 in the Republic of Azerbaijan.  (28-APR-2005)

Through a vast array of international programs and publications, Freedom House is working to advance the remarkable worldwide expansion of political and economic freedom. The Freedom House organization has published its “Freedom in the World” index using a 7-point scale. Countries rated between 1 and 2.5 points were rated as ‘free’, 3 and 5 points ‘partly free’, and 5.5-7 points as ‘not free’, based on the criteria of political rights and civil liberties. (12-April-2005)