Crackdown on human rights in #Azerbaijan
Since the beginning of its presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organisation, Azerbaijan has been placing more and more people behind bars. A jarring contrast no one seems to notice
▻http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Azerbaijan/Crackdown-on-human-rights-in-Azerbaijan-155040
Persecution of rights activists must stop – UN experts call on the Government of Azerbaijan
GENEVA (19 August 2014) – United Nations human rights experts* today condemned the growing tendency to prosecute prominent human rights defenders in Azerbaijan, and urged the Government “to show leadership and reverse the trend of repression, criminalization and prosecution of human rights work in the country.”
“We are appalled by the increasing incidents of surveillance, interrogation, arrest, sentencing on the basis of trumped-up charges, assets-freezing and ban on travel of the activists in Azerbaijan,” they said. “The criminalization of rights activists must stop. Those who were unjustifiably detained for defending rights should be immediately freed.”
The experts highlighted the specific cases of Leyla Yunus, director of the Azerbaijani Institute of Peace and Democracy; Arif Yunus, head of Conflict Studies in the Institute of Peace and Democracy; Rasul Jafarov, coordinator of Art of Democracy and head of Human Rights Club; and Intigam Aliyev, chair of Legal Education Society.
“We are alarmed at the wave of politically-motivated repression of activists in reprisal for their legitimate work in documenting and reporting human rights violations,” they noted, reiterating their grave concerns about the deteriorating situation in the country for the third time in less than a year.
The UN experts reminded the authorities of their legal obligations under international human rights law, which guarantees everyone in Azerbaijan the rights to freedom of expression, of peaceful assembly and association, without undue interference.
“The State’s primary responsibility should be to protect its civil society activists from intimidation, harassment, threats or attacks,” they stressed.
“Azerbaijan’s recent membership of the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations does not square well with the authorities’ actions directed at stifling freedoms on the ground,” the UN rights experts noted.
(*) The experts: The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom or opinion and expression, David Kaye.
The United Nations human rights experts are part of what it is known as ‘Special Procedures’, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system. ‘Special Procedures’ is the general name of the independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms of the Human Rights Council that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Currently, there are 38 thematic mandates and 14 mandates related to countries and territories, with 73 mandate holders.
Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity. Learn more, log on to: ▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Welcomepage.aspx
For more information, visit:
Human rights defenders: ▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/SRHRDefenders/Pages/SRHRDefendersIndex.aspx
Freedom of assembly: ▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/AssemblyAssociation/Pages/SRFreedomAssemblyAssociationIndex.aspx
Freedom of expression: ▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Pages/OpinionIndex.aspx
Check the UN experts’ previous appeals to the Government of Azerbaijan:
▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14582&LangID=E
▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13829&LangID=E
OHCHR Country Page – Azerbaijan: ▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/AZIndex.aspx
For more information and media requests, please contact Jamshid Gaziyev (+41 22 917 9183 / defenders@ohchr.org)
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▻http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14952&LangID=E
Le communiqué du State Department (10/10/2013) sur l’élection présidentielle en Azerbaïdjan
Azerbaijan Presidential Election
▻http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/10/215283.htm
The United States continuously urged the Government of Azerbaijan to ensure a free and fair electoral process and to respect the freedoms of assembly, association, and speech. It is with regret that we conclude this election fell short of international standards.
The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly highlighted in their October 10 preliminary statement serious shortcomings that need to be addressed in order for Azerbaijan to fully meet its OSCE commitments. The United States agrees with this assessment and shares OSCE concerns. Other credible non-government organizations such as the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center reported similar shortcomings. On election day, procedural irregularities were observed including: 1) ballot box stuffing; 2) serious problems with vote counting; and 3) failure to record the number of received ballots. Leading up to election day, the Government of Azerbaijan also maintained a repressive political environment. Authorities interfered with the media and civil society routinely, sometimes violently interrupted peaceful rallies and meetings before and occasionally during the campaign period, and jailed a number of opposition and youth activists.
At the same time, the United States notes the comments in the OSCE statement on constructive steps taken by the Government of Azerbaijan during the election campaign, including the successful registration of Jamil Hasanli and certain other opposition candidates, authorization of some opposition campaign rallies, the decision to invite the OSCE to observe the election, and efficient technical preparation for the election.
Democracy is more than one election. The United States urges the Government of Azerbaijan to respect the freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and speech. We urge restraint and avoidance of violence by all in the post electoral period. We remain committed to supporting the people of Azerbaijan and working with the Government to further efforts to achieve Azerbaijan’s full potential as a stable, prosperous, and democratic member of the international community.
Et la réponse de la présidence (ainsi qu’au communiqué de l’OSCE (cf. ▻http://seenthis.net/messages/184543 ). (14/10/2013)
Azerbaijani people expressed their will in election : Top official - AzerNews
▻http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/60608.html
Position of the U.S. Department of State on the presidential election held in Azerbaijan on October 9 is in contrast with justice and doesn`t reflect the reality.
Deputy Head of Azerbaijan`s Presidential Administration, head of the foreign relations department Novruz Mammadov made the remark when commenting on statements by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the U.S. Department of State concerning the presidential election in the country.
“It shows that the ODIHR along with the U.S. consider democracy and issues of human rights as their monopoly, using it according in their own interests,” he said. But now its clear that making democracy and the issues of human rights a tool of pressure doesnt produce good results. There are tens of instances on the international scene.
Mammadov said that the Azerbaijani presidential election does not fall behind elections in other countries, and is even better in terms of many parameters.
"Given that the USA and OSCE ODIHR have made subjective judgments of the elections in several other countries, which were marred by serious violations and irregularities, their biased position causes surprise. Those who consider democracy an important value must themselves set an example to others by acting in line with democratic principles.
“Interestingly about 1,500 observers from 98 countries and 48 international organizations, including the PACE, European Parliament, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), TurkPA election observation mission, as well as the majority of independent foreign observers made positive remarks on the election. But for some reason this issue is not featured in the statement of the U.S. Department of State, whose unequivocal critical statement stands in total contrast to views of ordinary people-elected U.S. congressmen, senators and representatives of other elective bodies, who hailed the election process in Azerbaijan as fair and transparent,” he said.
Azerbaïdjan, un score soviétique pour la dynastie Aliev
▻http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2013/10/10/azerbaidjan-un-score-sovietique-pour-la-dynastie-aliev_3493537_3232.html
Toutefois, dans ces élections observées par l’OSCE qui les a estimées en deçà des normes démocratiques, Jamil Hasanli peut se targuer d’avoir bien accompli sa mission qui était de montrer une opposition unie face au régime Aliev. Cette unité de l’opposition est d’autant plus inquiétante pour le régime qu’il n’a pas d’autre choix que de poursuivre sa fuite en avant dans le refus de faire des réformes politiques, et de se focaliser sur les progrès économiques rendus possible grâce aux ressources pétrolières et gazières de la Caspienne. En effet, comme cela est le cas également dans d’autres pays de l’ex URSS, notamment en Ouzbékistan et au Kazakhstan où prédomine également un système politique clanique complexe, le président en Azerbaïdjan est au sommet d’une pyramide complexe.
Bien que paraissant omnipotent et à la tête d’une dynastie qui accapare toute la richesse du pays, il est en réalité fragile, car il doit sans cesse arbitrer entre plusieurs clans aux intérêts divergents et qui se livrent à une violente et invisible rivalité pour préserver ou accroitre leurs intérêts économiques dans les structures de l’Etat. Cette fragilité n’est pas ignorée par la grande puissance régionale, la Russie qui a eu une influence non négligeable sur la campagne électorale, notamment dans le choix du candidat de l’opposition. En effet, la Russie qui n’apprécie guère la politique pro occidentale du président Aliev, notamment sa décision de ne pas renouveler le contrat de location de la base militaire russe de Gabala, a envoyé plusieurs messages forts à Bakou à quelques mois de l’élection présidentielle. Elle a notamment maintenu le suspens jusqu’au dernier moment sur le point de savoir si elle allait ou non aider le candidat de l’opposition Rustam Ibrahimbekov à sortir de la citoyenneté russe, pour pouvoir affronter Aliev aux élections. Finalement, en retardant la requête de l’intéressé qui, du coup, n’a pu se présenter sa candidature, Moscou a choisi de soutenir davantage le régime en place, que l’opposition qui à vrai dire n’a jamais été pro-russe.
Quant aux Etats Unis, leur attitude durant la campagne électorale a été assez subtile. Important allié pour Washington dans la région, l’Azerbaïdjan est surtout précieux par la place qu’il occupe dans l’acheminement de matériel non militaire aux troupes occidentales en Afghanistan. Par ailleurs, comme les Européens, les Etats Unis soutiennent le régime d’Azerbaïdjan, notamment sa politique énergétique afin de réduire le poids de la Russie dans l’approvisionnement en énergie des marchés occidentaux. Conscient de cette importance mais gênées par l’atmosphère peu démocratique de la campagne électorale, les Etats Unis ont par la voix de leur ambassadeur émis quelques critiques pour rappeler que le caractère démocratique d’une élection se jugeait aussi à l’aune de la campagne qui précède le jour des élections.
Le communiqué (10/10/13) de l’Ambassade des États-Unis en Azerbaïdjan
▻http://photos.state.gov/libraries/azerbaijan/749085/highlights/pres_elections_statement.pdf
The United States continuously urged the Government of Azerbaijan to ensure a free and fair electoral process and to respect the freedoms of assembly, association, and speech. It is with regret that we conclude this election fell short of international standards.
The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly highlighted in their October 10 preliminary statement serious shortcomings that need to be addressed in order for Azerbaijan to fully meet its OSCEcommitments. The United States agrees with this assessment and shares OSCE concerns. Other credible non-government organizations such as the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center reported similar shortcomings. On election day, procedural irregularities were observed including:
1) ballot box stuffing;
2) serious problems with vote counting; and
3) failure to record the number of received ballots.
Leading up to election day, the Government of Azerbaijan also maintained a repressive political environment. Authorities interfered with the media and civil society routinely, sometimes violently interrupted peaceful rallies and meetings before and occasionally during the campaign period, and jailed a number of opposition and youth activists.
At the same time, the United States notes the comments in the OSCE statement on constructive steps taken by the Government of Azerbaijan during the election campaign, including the successful registration of Jamil Hasanli and certain other opposition candidates, authorization of some opposition campaign rallies, the decision to invite the OSCE to observe the election, and efficient technical preparation for the election.
Democracy is more than one election. The United States urges the Government of Azerbaijan to respect the freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and speech. We urge restraint and avoidance of violence by all in the post electoral period. We remain committed to supporting the people of Azerbaijan and working with the Government to further efforts to achieve Azerbaijan’s full potential as a stable, prosperous, and democratic member of the international
community.
Et la réaction à la déclaration de l’ambassade…
Foreign Ministry : State Dept statement on Azerbaijan election unacceptable - AzerNews
▻http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/60594.html
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry expresses regret over the U.S. State Department’s statement on the presidential election held on October 9 and considers it unacceptable, the Foreign Ministry said on October 11.
According to the ministry’s statement, the election was held freely, democratically, fairly and transparently under the observation of 52,000 local and 1,300 international monitors and on the basis of Azerbaijan’s Constitution and the electoral legislation.
The results of the election and the entire election process were assessed as free, democratic and fair by the missions of the European Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, OIC, TURKPA, CIS, GUAM and other international organizations, as well as by the observation missions from over 100 countries.
The registration of candidates and the campaigning were conducted transparently in accordance with the electoral legislation, and the freedom of assembly and expression was ensured, the Foreign Ministry’s statement said.
In general, the election was one more important step towards democracy, said the statement.
The organization of the election process again demonstrated that in accordance with the assumed obligations, Azerbaijan has achieved considerable success in improving the conduct of elections as an important element of the democratic process, the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry said sporadic cases of irregularities and technical shortcomings were attributed to the entire electoral process instead of being forwarded to relevant entities in accordance with the Azerbaijani legislation and it was maintained that the election did not meet international standards, which cannot be regarded as a fair stance.
Such an attitude brings the Azerbaijani-U.S. relations into question and is deemed absolutely biased, unacceptable and disrespectful to the Azerbaijani citizens who freely expressed their opinion in the election, the ministry said.
