Your trusted source

The United States says the U.S. nongovernmental organization IREX's decision to halt its work in Azerbaijan amid pressure from authorities will hurt democracy-promotion efforts in the country, US state department told the Radio Liberty.

"We have greatly valued IREX's efforts to support independent, professional media and to facilitate people-to-people ties," a U.S. State Department official stated.

As the statement notes IREX ceased its operations in Azerbaijan on September 30. It said earlier this year that its bank assets there were frozen due to a "criminal investigation" launched against several Azerbaijani and international NGOs.

On September 5 representatives of the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan raided the Baku office of IREX, and seized all the computers and other equipment, as well as the documents. Currently there are two local NGOs under investigation which have been supported by IREX - Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS) and Media Rights Institute. These NGOs have been actively engaged in the protection of the rights of journalists and freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. Their bank accounts have been frozen. In the same time, the equipment and documents of the IRFS have been withdrawn after the search of the office of the organization on August 8. On August 11 IRFS office was sealed.