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ACTIVISTS IN AZERBAIJAN BEING DEPRIVED OF LAST PLATFORM: HELSINKI CITIZENS' ASSEMBLY OFFICE ON VERGE OF CLOSING DOWN
12:19 25/03/2015 >> SOCIETY
Civil society activists in Azerbaijan may be deprived of the last
platform to hold their discussions. Azerbaijani National Committee
of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly is under threat of losing its office
where the meetings of the Committee for Civil Society Protection (CCSP)
have recently been held, Azerbaijani information agency Turan reports
citing the appeal of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners
(CMPP) to the Western governments and international organizations.
According to the article, as a result of freezing the projects of
civil society institutes Helsinki Assembly is not able to pay the
office rent which may lead to the expulsion of the organization.
The appeal states that liquidation and expulsion of democratic
institutions from Azerbaijan has set on since 2013. Free Thought
University closed down ahead of presidential elections in Azerbaijan.
"Soon the crackdowns on civil society activists began. Well-known
human rights defenders Leyla Yunus and her husband conflictologist
Arif Yunus, lawyer Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, Anar Mammadli
have been arrested, American organization IREX has closed down, the
bank accounts of more than 30 CCSP member NGOs have been frozen and
criminal cases have been initiated against them. This has paralyzed
the civil society activities," the appeal reads. It also stresses that
Helsinki Assembly's closing down in Azerbaijan will bring about grave
consequences, and "the population will lose its trust for EU and US"
once and for all.
Azerbaijani National Committee of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly and its
leader Arzu Abdullayeva have carried out a huge work in Azerbaijan
in the sphere of human rights, including the release of political
prisoners, monitoring elections. Today this organization is on the
verge of closing down.
The agency reminds that the Committee was founded in 2009 when the
first wave of reactionary amendments in the legislation about NGOs
commenced in Azerbaijan. Then it comprised around 100 independent NGOs,
including organizations whose leaders are currently arrested.
Today around 20 activists are actively engaged in the works of the
Committee conditioned by the criminal persecution of many NGOs and
the arrests of the leaders of some of them.
Related:
US Department of State, OSCE and CoE condemn Azerbaijani authorities
for pressure on Baku office of Radio Liberty
Azerbaijani independent newspaper "Zerkalo" closes after Rauf
Mirkadirov's arrest
http://www.panorama.am/en/region/2015/03/25/azerbaijan-activists/
From: A. Papazian
12:19 25/03/2015 >> SOCIETY
Civil society activists in Azerbaijan may be deprived of the last
platform to hold their discussions. Azerbaijani National Committee
of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly is under threat of losing its office
where the meetings of the Committee for Civil Society Protection (CCSP)
have recently been held, Azerbaijani information agency Turan reports
citing the appeal of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners
(CMPP) to the Western governments and international organizations.
According to the article, as a result of freezing the projects of
civil society institutes Helsinki Assembly is not able to pay the
office rent which may lead to the expulsion of the organization.
The appeal states that liquidation and expulsion of democratic
institutions from Azerbaijan has set on since 2013. Free Thought
University closed down ahead of presidential elections in Azerbaijan.
"Soon the crackdowns on civil society activists began. Well-known
human rights defenders Leyla Yunus and her husband conflictologist
Arif Yunus, lawyer Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, Anar Mammadli
have been arrested, American organization IREX has closed down, the
bank accounts of more than 30 CCSP member NGOs have been frozen and
criminal cases have been initiated against them. This has paralyzed
the civil society activities," the appeal reads. It also stresses that
Helsinki Assembly's closing down in Azerbaijan will bring about grave
consequences, and "the population will lose its trust for EU and US"
once and for all.
Azerbaijani National Committee of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly and its
leader Arzu Abdullayeva have carried out a huge work in Azerbaijan
in the sphere of human rights, including the release of political
prisoners, monitoring elections. Today this organization is on the
verge of closing down.
The agency reminds that the Committee was founded in 2009 when the
first wave of reactionary amendments in the legislation about NGOs
commenced in Azerbaijan. Then it comprised around 100 independent NGOs,
including organizations whose leaders are currently arrested.
Today around 20 activists are actively engaged in the works of the
Committee conditioned by the criminal persecution of many NGOs and
the arrests of the leaders of some of them.
Related:
US Department of State, OSCE and CoE condemn Azerbaijani authorities
for pressure on Baku office of Radio Liberty
Azerbaijani independent newspaper "Zerkalo" closes after Rauf
Mirkadirov's arrest
http://www.panorama.am/en/region/2015/03/25/azerbaijan-activists/
From: A. Papazian