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AZERBAIJANI LGBT ALLIANCE "NEFES" SUSPENDED ITS ACTIVITIES FEARING FOR PERSONAL SAFETY OF ITS MEMBERS
17:16 12/02/2015 Â" SOCIETY
"NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance that consists of sexual minorities
officially terminates work in Azerbaijan, reports Gay-League of
Lithuania that is engaged in issues of sexual minorities.
The statement reads that the socio-political state in the country,
increasing number of arrests and chasing of individuals and
organizations working for human rights by government, as well as
increasing risks for personal life and personal safety of organization
members made "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Alliance to take this serious action.
"Our view is such that Azerbaijan Republic is not interested in Human
Rights NGOs to operate in the country; government wants to hide the
state of the LGBT rights in Azerbaijan, and does not want legislative
defaults on LGBT Rights to be discussed, and government does not want
denying obligations that Azerbaijan Republic signed to be revealed,"
the statement notes.
It is noted that another reason for taking this serious action
was recent changes to NGO operating legislation. "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT
Azerbaijan Alliance has stated during several meetings with EC,
embassies of EC Republics, US Embassy in Baku that the changes to the
legislation is not optimization of the existing rules, but targets
Human Rights Organizations and its executive members. There are many
examples of NGO Executives getting arrested with unjustified reasons
after changes of the legislation. "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance
has applied twice to Ministry of Legislation for registration and
could not get official response.
"'NE~YfE~Ys' LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance executive members are under
serious risk of legislative actions if organization continues to
operate without registration. Therefore, "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Azerbaijan
Alliance is forced to terminate operating. We will continue to
work with international organizations to run campaigns on state of
Human Rights and LGBT Rights in Azerbaijan. One of the plans is to
establish a network of Azerbaijani LGBT and Human Rights activists
living abroad," the statement reads.
In January 2014 a young activist, chairman of people with different
sexual orientations Isa Shahmarly, committed suicide in Azerbaijan. He
was 21 years old. Before committing suicide Isa wrote on his Facebook
page, "I am leaving. This country, this world is not for me. I am
leaving to find happiness." On the eve of suicide Azerbaijani alliance
"Nefes" appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan
in connection with the discrimination faced by the members of the
public association.
The appeal read that in the last 10 days there have been two cases
of hatred and intolerance. In the first case, 19-year-old young man
could not endure discrimination from family and others and committed
suicide. The second case concerns a 17-year-old young man who was
brutally raped by eight persons who filmed it on video, and then
extorted money from the victim. The young man could not get the
required amount of money, and the video was delivered to his family.
Parents beat him. Nothing more was known about his fate.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2015/02/12/lgbt-azerbaijan/
17:16 12/02/2015 Â" SOCIETY
"NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance that consists of sexual minorities
officially terminates work in Azerbaijan, reports Gay-League of
Lithuania that is engaged in issues of sexual minorities.
The statement reads that the socio-political state in the country,
increasing number of arrests and chasing of individuals and
organizations working for human rights by government, as well as
increasing risks for personal life and personal safety of organization
members made "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Alliance to take this serious action.
"Our view is such that Azerbaijan Republic is not interested in Human
Rights NGOs to operate in the country; government wants to hide the
state of the LGBT rights in Azerbaijan, and does not want legislative
defaults on LGBT Rights to be discussed, and government does not want
denying obligations that Azerbaijan Republic signed to be revealed,"
the statement notes.
It is noted that another reason for taking this serious action
was recent changes to NGO operating legislation. "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT
Azerbaijan Alliance has stated during several meetings with EC,
embassies of EC Republics, US Embassy in Baku that the changes to the
legislation is not optimization of the existing rules, but targets
Human Rights Organizations and its executive members. There are many
examples of NGO Executives getting arrested with unjustified reasons
after changes of the legislation. "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance
has applied twice to Ministry of Legislation for registration and
could not get official response.
"'NE~YfE~Ys' LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance executive members are under
serious risk of legislative actions if organization continues to
operate without registration. Therefore, "NE~YfE~Ys" LGBT Azerbaijan
Alliance is forced to terminate operating. We will continue to
work with international organizations to run campaigns on state of
Human Rights and LGBT Rights in Azerbaijan. One of the plans is to
establish a network of Azerbaijani LGBT and Human Rights activists
living abroad," the statement reads.
In January 2014 a young activist, chairman of people with different
sexual orientations Isa Shahmarly, committed suicide in Azerbaijan. He
was 21 years old. Before committing suicide Isa wrote on his Facebook
page, "I am leaving. This country, this world is not for me. I am
leaving to find happiness." On the eve of suicide Azerbaijani alliance
"Nefes" appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan
in connection with the discrimination faced by the members of the
public association.
The appeal read that in the last 10 days there have been two cases
of hatred and intolerance. In the first case, 19-year-old young man
could not endure discrimination from family and others and committed
suicide. The second case concerns a 17-year-old young man who was
brutally raped by eight persons who filmed it on video, and then
extorted money from the victim. The young man could not get the
required amount of money, and the video was delivered to his family.
Parents beat him. Nothing more was known about his fate.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2015/02/12/lgbt-azerbaijan/