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BAKU RIGHTS ABUSES FOCUS OF NEW WEB SITE
asbarez
Monday, May 21st, 2012
Opposition demonstrator being dragged by Azeri police (photo by
Reuters)
The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (the
IPGA), coordinated by Article 19, has launched its Web site,
AzerbaijanFreeXpression.org, and Facebook and Twitter profiles ahead
of this week's Eurovision Song Competition, which will commence in
Baku on Tuesday, announced Reporters Without Borders.
Looking behind the glitz of Eurovision, the IPGA website examines
the alarming freedom of expression situation in Azerbaijan, where
journalists and others face blackmail, intimidation, violence, and
imprisonment for expressing critical views.
As the stage is set for the 57th Eurovision Song Contest, which
will take place this week in Baku, the Azerbaijani authorities are
working hard to promote a positive image abroad. But at home they
are severely restricting the right to freedom of expression and other
fundamental freedoms.
"As Eurovision approaches, our new website shows that the freedom
of expression situation in Azerbaijan continues to worsen", said
Article 19 Executive Director, Agnès Callamard. "The broadcast media
is completely dominated by the state, leaving no room for independent
voices. The organizer of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union,
must end its policy of silence and hold the Azerbaijani authorities
accountable for their freedom of expression violations."
"With seven journalists behind bars, Azerbaijan is among the top 10
global jailers of the press," said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program
Coordinator Nina Ognianova. "This crackdown comes in the run-up to the
Eurovision Song Contest, which will gather journalists from more than
40 participating countries and fix the world's eyes on Azerbaijan. The
significant resources official Baku has poured to polish the country's
image abroad will be meaningless without implementing systematic
reforms to improve press freedom conditions at home. The immediate
and unconditional release of our colleagues would be a good start."
"In Azerbaijan, journalists become the targets of violence when
they stand up in the face of pressure from the authorities," said
Reporters Without Borders Director-General Olivier Basille. "These
attacks have created a climate of intimidation that is all the more
frightening because those responsible enjoy complete impunity. The
murders of two journalists remain unsolved due to a lack of political
will. The authorities must take action now to find their killers and
bring them to justice".
Along with its Web site, the IPGA is launching its Facebook and
Twitter profiles, through which it will provide regular updates on
freedom of expression developments in Azerbaijan.
asbarez
Monday, May 21st, 2012
Opposition demonstrator being dragged by Azeri police (photo by
Reuters)
The International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (the
IPGA), coordinated by Article 19, has launched its Web site,
AzerbaijanFreeXpression.org, and Facebook and Twitter profiles ahead
of this week's Eurovision Song Competition, which will commence in
Baku on Tuesday, announced Reporters Without Borders.
Looking behind the glitz of Eurovision, the IPGA website examines
the alarming freedom of expression situation in Azerbaijan, where
journalists and others face blackmail, intimidation, violence, and
imprisonment for expressing critical views.
As the stage is set for the 57th Eurovision Song Contest, which
will take place this week in Baku, the Azerbaijani authorities are
working hard to promote a positive image abroad. But at home they
are severely restricting the right to freedom of expression and other
fundamental freedoms.
"As Eurovision approaches, our new website shows that the freedom
of expression situation in Azerbaijan continues to worsen", said
Article 19 Executive Director, Agnès Callamard. "The broadcast media
is completely dominated by the state, leaving no room for independent
voices. The organizer of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union,
must end its policy of silence and hold the Azerbaijani authorities
accountable for their freedom of expression violations."
"With seven journalists behind bars, Azerbaijan is among the top 10
global jailers of the press," said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program
Coordinator Nina Ognianova. "This crackdown comes in the run-up to the
Eurovision Song Contest, which will gather journalists from more than
40 participating countries and fix the world's eyes on Azerbaijan. The
significant resources official Baku has poured to polish the country's
image abroad will be meaningless without implementing systematic
reforms to improve press freedom conditions at home. The immediate
and unconditional release of our colleagues would be a good start."
"In Azerbaijan, journalists become the targets of violence when
they stand up in the face of pressure from the authorities," said
Reporters Without Borders Director-General Olivier Basille. "These
attacks have created a climate of intimidation that is all the more
frightening because those responsible enjoy complete impunity. The
murders of two journalists remain unsolved due to a lack of political
will. The authorities must take action now to find their killers and
bring them to justice".
Along with its Web site, the IPGA is launching its Facebook and
Twitter profiles, through which it will provide regular updates on
freedom of expression developments in Azerbaijan.