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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.