Amnesty International report reveals crackdown on free expression in Azerbaijan

The organization's report, "Azerbaijan: The contracting space for freedom of expression," reveals a pattern of encroachment on the rights of members of civil society, and in particular journalists, to freedom of expression.

"Journalists who deviate from the government's party line or draw attention to Azerbaijan's endemic corruption are putting their lives on the line," said Maureen Greenwood-Basken, Amnesty International USA advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia. "President Aliyev's denunciations of attacks on reporters must be backed up by genuine efforts to protect writers. In Azerbaijan today, freedom of expression is permitted only when it's in the government's interest.
 
"The murders of Hrant Dink in Turkey last week and Anna Politkovskaya in Russia last October make clear the urgent need for governments to protect dissident journalists -- for their work is truly a matter of life and death."

"The Azerbaijani authorities have an obligation to uphold commitments to a healthy environment for the free dissemination of information and exchange of opinions, including those alleging official wrongdoing and abuse of public office," said Laurence Broers, Amnesty International's expert on Azerbaijan. "Government officials in Azerbaijan must understand that it is a legitimate function of the media to put their activities under public scrutiny and that such scrutiny must not lead to violence against journalists."

Amnesty International notes that sanctions against opposition or independent journalists in Azerbaijan have become both more frequent and more severe. This trend has seemingly been prompted by the prominent role of freedom of expression in the changes of regime in Georgia and Ukraine in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

The ongoing assault on freedom of expression in Azerbaijan appears to be three-pronged -- the harassment and ill-treatment of journalists by police and other law enforcement officials, especially during election campaigns; assaults, and in one case murder, of journalists by unknown individuals; and the silencing of journalists through their arrest and imprisonment on dubious charges or by heavy fines following trials for criminal defamation.

With alarming consistency, it is journalists associated with the opposition that are the victims of physical assault. None of the investigations into these physical assaults has yielded a conviction, contributing to a climate of impunity for such attacks. To Amnesty International's knowledge, there are no instances of attacks on pro-government journalists. With the same consistency outspoken independent media outlets have been accused of violating administrative and regulatory standards and in some cases their professional activities have been immediately and arbitrarily suspended without right to appeal.

"Assaulting and killing journalists with impunity has a chilling effect on the growth of civil society and the wider human rights environment. These attacks must be conclusively investigated and those responsible brought to justice to counter the current environment of fear and self-censorship," said Laurence Broers, Amnesty International expert on Azerbaijan.

Emin Huseynov, of the Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety in the capital Baku, commented that respect for freedom of expression in Azerbaijan is in continuous decline and journalists are increasingly going to the European Court of Human Rights after failing to obtain justice at home. He said:

"Independent and foreign media are the only existing outlets where alternative opinion can be expressed. With presidential elections coming in 2008, the authorities are going to increase their attempts to stifle independent media so that no critical voice is heard. International institutions and organizations must increase their pressure on the government to guarantee the right to freedom of expression."

Amnesty International calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure the prompt and conclusive investigation of assaults on journalists, to institute measures to tackle institutionalized impunity for harassment of journalists by law enforcement officials, to end the use of criminal defamation suits as a means to silence dissent and to ensure that due process is observed in the enforcement of media industry standards. Amnesty International