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COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SPEAKS UP FOR TALISH NEWSPAPER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF IMPRISONED IN AZERBAIJAN
20:20 24/02/2015 Â" SOCIETY
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks,
published written observations submitted to the European Court of
Human Rights on the case of Hilal Mammadov against Azerbaijan, in
which he stresses the systematic deficiencies in the area of freedom
of expression, including judicial harassment of critical voices,
and a pattern of retaliatory measures against those who co-operate
with international organizations to expose human rights violations
in the country. The statement is posted on Council of Europe website.
"The case of Hilal Mammadov, whom I met in 2012 and 2013 in a pre-trial
detention center, is emblematic of the reprisals that journalists,
bloggers and human rights defenders face in Azerbaijan because of their
work. They are often harassed with unjustified or selective criminal
prosecution on charges that defy credibility, a structural problem
which both affects the human rights of the persons concerned and
obstructs the functioning of international human rights mechanisms,"
the statement reads.
It's also noted that is the first of five appeals that the Commissioner
will submit regarding Azerbaijan. The next ones will concern the
cases of Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, Anar Mammadli and Leyla and
Arif Yunus.
Hilal Mammadov, the editor-in-chief of the only Talish newspaper in
Azerbaijan "Tolyshi sado", was arrested by the Azerbaijani police on
21 June, 2012. He was charged with drug possession; later the Ministry
of National Security of Azerbaijan accused him of high treason and
espionage. Among others, Mammadov is known for the popular on the
Internet video "Who are you? Come on, good-by". In summer, 2012 three
protests were held in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy to Moscow
demanding to cease the ethnocide and release Hilal Mammadov.
Also, several international organizations addressed an open letter
to Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the
UN Human Rights Council concerning the deteriorating environment for
human rights and independent media in Azerbaijan. The letter is posted
on the website of the human rights organization "Article 19".
Since early 2014, the Government of Azerbaijan has orchestrated an
unprecedented campaign to suppress dissenting voices in the country.
As a result of this unrelenting crackdown, several dozen human
rights defenders, bloggers, journalists, peaceful political activists
remain behind bars. In addition, many independent media outlets and
civil society organizations in the country have been forced to cease
their activities or subjected to legal prosecution or other targeted
government persecution.
"Legislative and other measures taken by the Azerbaijani government
to curtail the legitimate work of civil society organizations, human
rights defenders and independent media are in serious violation of
Azerbaijan's international human rights obligations," the authors of
the letter write, noting that in 2014 alone, Azerbaijani authorities
convicted or imprisoned 34 human rights defenders, political and civic
activists, and journalists for their engagement with international
human rights mechanisms. Many others have fled the country or gone
into hiding to avoid arrest.
As the letter reads, despite provisions of international law
safeguarding the right to freedom of expression, the government
of Azerbaijan has only escalated its use of criminal charges and
restrictive legislation to silence independent journalists and media
outlets in the country. As a result, virtually no independent print,
radio or television outlet can operate freely in the country.
At least 12 journalists remain in prison in Azerbaijan.
Amendments introduced to the legislation, limit the opportunities
of the civil society organizations to get funding, they also provide
the government with discretion to impose financial sanctions on these
organizations for minor infractions of existing laws, the letter reads.
The letters is signed by Article 19, CIVICUS: World Alliance for
Citizen Participation, Civil Rights Defenders, FORUM-ASIA Asian Forum
for Human Rights and Development, Freedom House, Front Line Defenders,
Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights Watch, International
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), International Service for Human
Rights (ISHR), People in Need.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2015/02/24/myuzheniks/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
20:20 24/02/2015 Â" SOCIETY
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks,
published written observations submitted to the European Court of
Human Rights on the case of Hilal Mammadov against Azerbaijan, in
which he stresses the systematic deficiencies in the area of freedom
of expression, including judicial harassment of critical voices,
and a pattern of retaliatory measures against those who co-operate
with international organizations to expose human rights violations
in the country. The statement is posted on Council of Europe website.
"The case of Hilal Mammadov, whom I met in 2012 and 2013 in a pre-trial
detention center, is emblematic of the reprisals that journalists,
bloggers and human rights defenders face in Azerbaijan because of their
work. They are often harassed with unjustified or selective criminal
prosecution on charges that defy credibility, a structural problem
which both affects the human rights of the persons concerned and
obstructs the functioning of international human rights mechanisms,"
the statement reads.
It's also noted that is the first of five appeals that the Commissioner
will submit regarding Azerbaijan. The next ones will concern the
cases of Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, Anar Mammadli and Leyla and
Arif Yunus.
Hilal Mammadov, the editor-in-chief of the only Talish newspaper in
Azerbaijan "Tolyshi sado", was arrested by the Azerbaijani police on
21 June, 2012. He was charged with drug possession; later the Ministry
of National Security of Azerbaijan accused him of high treason and
espionage. Among others, Mammadov is known for the popular on the
Internet video "Who are you? Come on, good-by". In summer, 2012 three
protests were held in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy to Moscow
demanding to cease the ethnocide and release Hilal Mammadov.
Also, several international organizations addressed an open letter
to Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the
UN Human Rights Council concerning the deteriorating environment for
human rights and independent media in Azerbaijan. The letter is posted
on the website of the human rights organization "Article 19".
Since early 2014, the Government of Azerbaijan has orchestrated an
unprecedented campaign to suppress dissenting voices in the country.
As a result of this unrelenting crackdown, several dozen human
rights defenders, bloggers, journalists, peaceful political activists
remain behind bars. In addition, many independent media outlets and
civil society organizations in the country have been forced to cease
their activities or subjected to legal prosecution or other targeted
government persecution.
"Legislative and other measures taken by the Azerbaijani government
to curtail the legitimate work of civil society organizations, human
rights defenders and independent media are in serious violation of
Azerbaijan's international human rights obligations," the authors of
the letter write, noting that in 2014 alone, Azerbaijani authorities
convicted or imprisoned 34 human rights defenders, political and civic
activists, and journalists for their engagement with international
human rights mechanisms. Many others have fled the country or gone
into hiding to avoid arrest.
As the letter reads, despite provisions of international law
safeguarding the right to freedom of expression, the government
of Azerbaijan has only escalated its use of criminal charges and
restrictive legislation to silence independent journalists and media
outlets in the country. As a result, virtually no independent print,
radio or television outlet can operate freely in the country.
At least 12 journalists remain in prison in Azerbaijan.
Amendments introduced to the legislation, limit the opportunities
of the civil society organizations to get funding, they also provide
the government with discretion to impose financial sanctions on these
organizations for minor infractions of existing laws, the letter reads.
The letters is signed by Article 19, CIVICUS: World Alliance for
Citizen Participation, Civil Rights Defenders, FORUM-ASIA Asian Forum
for Human Rights and Development, Freedom House, Front Line Defenders,
Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights Watch, International
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), International Service for Human
Rights (ISHR), People in Need.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2015/02/24/myuzheniks/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress