FIDH: European Games - good opportunity to denounce human rights situation in Azerbaijan
Repression of Azerbaijani civil society, NGOs and journalists has escalated significantly as the date of the Baku European Games approaches, says the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in a report (FIDH).
The report documents the repression of eight Azerbaijani human rights defenders who have been arbitrarily detained, and details the series of legislative amendments recently adopted to silence independent voices.
"Most of the high-level leaders of the independent NGOs have been arrested. The conditions of detention are abominable and the declining health of some of them, such as Leyla Yunus and Intigam Aliyev is of serious concern," Secretary General of World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) Gerald Staberock stated.
In January 2015, the Observatory led a mission to Baku to meet with civil society organizations. Despite several requests submitted to the authorities, the delegation was not allowed to visit the imprisoned defenders, the report reads.
Further FIDH states that the international community must use this opportunity to express its concern with Azerbaijani authorities regarding human rights abuses and the situation the people and organizations defending these rights face in Azerbaijan.
"We hope that the leaders of the countries participating in the European Games will take advantage of the opportunity to denounce the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. That is why we are asking them officially to condition their participation in the opening ceremony on the release of all imprisoned human rights defenders," the President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Souhayr Belhassen, stated.
It is also noted that in 2014, several laws were amended to restrict the activities of civil society. New laws were adopted that increased the administrative requirements for NGOs. These laws make it de facto impossible for unregistered NGOs receive grants in accordance with the law. The authorities have used these new regulations to prosecute NGO leaders by accusing them of financial irregularities.
Related:
EurasiaNet.org: European Games visitors to Azerbaijan to have what government orders for breakfast
The Washington Post: Olympic flame must illuminate terrible stain ruling regime is inflicting on Azerbaijan
Human rights groups appeal to U.S. Secretary of State to boycott European games in Baku
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