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The situation of human rights defenders in Azerbaijan has dramatically deteriorated since my last visit to this country in November 2013, stated Mailis Reps, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteur on ‘Strengthening the role and protection of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member States’. The statement can be found on the site of PACE.

According to her, fundamental freedoms are persistently breached and, appallingly, this is happening at a time when Azerbaijan holds the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

“I am very worried about various intimidation measures being taken against human rights defenders, other civic activists, journalists and bloggers – such as arbitrary arrests, unfair trials on fabricated charges and even the use of torture in custody. Some of these measures also target our long-term friends and collaborators, including human rights defender Leyla Yunus, who is under constant judicial and administrative harassment, Anar Mammadli,” the rapporteur noted.

Moreover, NGOs working on human rights issues face serious difficulties in registering or getting funding, Mailis Reps added.
The statement reads that the rapporteur had been on a fact finding visit in Azerbaijan in November 2013.

Azerbaijani Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) has published a list of political prisoners existing in the country. THus, as of May 21, 2014 there are 130 victims of political repression in Azerbaijan: 41 prisoners of conscience and 89 political prisoners.