Azerbaijan cracks down on NGOs, human rights activists and media outlets Since December 2014, Azerbaijani authorities have ramped-up crackdowns on media outlets critical to the regime, as well as on the activities of NGOs and human rights lawyers. On 5 December, the investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova was arrested in the capital, Baku, on charges of inciting a man to suicide, and currently remains in custody on two months’ pre-trial detention – a term that could be extended while the government prosecutors develop their case. Ismayilova claims that the charges are fabricated and that she is being harassed for her investigative reports on corruption within the government, including those involving President Ilham Aliyev and his family. Also in December, the Azerbaijan Collegiate of Lawyers disbarred attorney Xalid Bagirov, a prominent human rights lawyer, preventing him from representing Leyla Yunus, a leading human rights activist who has been held in pre-trial detention since July 2014. Then on 26 December, state officials raided the Baku offices of Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), seizing the station’s computers. Journalists were subsequently detained and questioned for 12 hours before being released. A court in Baku then ordered additional journalists to present themselves for questioning on 5 January, though no charges have been filed. Assessment Ismayilova’s arrest is one of the most high profile among a broader crackdown on civil society by the Azerbaijani government. Its human rights record has been poor in recent years, but in 2014 there was a marked increase in the number of arrests of journalists and activists and court proceedings brought against independent media outlets and civil society organisations. The government has defended these actions, claiming that ‘some international forces’ are interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs through NGOs and media outlets – a claim very much similar to those made by the Kremlin. The increase in crackdowns has also provoked the US government to voice a series of concerns. The Council of Europe, the European Union, the US assistant secretary of state, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have all called for the release of Ismayilova. It is likely that mounting international pressure on the Azerbaijani government, as well as a significant number of protests against Ismayilova’s arrest in Baku and in neighbouring countries, may exert enough pressure upon the Azerbaijani government to result in Ismayilova’s release. However, it is unlikely that overall attempts to suppress the media, NGO activities and human rights activists will cease. This may result in a number of journalists and activists wishing to seek asylum abroad. Given the increasing number of protests in response to recent government actions, draconian responses to these protests by the Azerbaijani government may result in a moderate outbreak of violence. This assessment is taken from our monthly briefing on political and security risk updates for January 2015. Would you like to support future briefings like this? Donation Amount:(Currency: GBP) Donation: Every Do not repeatMonth(s)Year(s) for times (0 means no end date)
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 19:22:19 +0000
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