A rally in front of the European Union office, September 2015. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

28 July 2016, 04:29

USAID: in Azerbaijan, situation with civil society gets worse for second year

According to the report prepared by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), in 2015, the stability of civil society development in Azerbaijan deteriorated. Experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" agreed with the estimates produced by the USAID.

Yet in 2014, the USAID report pointed to the deterioration of the situation with civil society in Azerbaijan.

In the report "Index of sustainable development of civil society organizations in 2015", the estimates are produced on a seven-point system. Points from 1 to 3 mean "increase in stability", points from 3 to 5 "sustainable development", and points from 5 to 7 "decrease in stability".

The overall index of civil society development in Azerbaijan is estimated at 5.8 points, while in 2014, it reached 5.1 points.

According to the USAID, the deterioration of civil society development comes under conditions of a sharp decline in international oil prices, which resulted in the economic crisis in the country, and two depreciations of the national currency in 2015.

The "legal framework" index is rated at 6.4 points because of the repeated refusals in registration of NGOs and introduction of the new regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers, which complicate the work of foreign donors and international NGOs.

Such international organizations as "Oxfam", "Counterpart International", "World Vision", and "Save the Children" have ceased their activities in Azerbaijan. Many local NGOs have suspended their activities because of lack of financial funds, and the OSCE Office in Baku has also been closed.

Samir Kazymly, the coordinator of the Alliance to Protect Political Freedoms, and Oktai Gyulalyev, the leader of the Public Alliance "Azerbaijan without Political Prisoners", also note the deterioration of the conditions for civil society activities.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

See earlier reports:

UN reports on human rights violations in Azerbaijani penitentiary institutions, Journalists state poorer conditions for independent media in Azerbaijan, Forum of Azerbaijani civil society calls on authorities to ensure conditions for NGOs.

Author: Faik Medzhid Source: CK correspondent

All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

September 18, 2024 23:47

  • ECtHR awards compensation to Ingush activist Zarifa Sautieva

    The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found that the Russian authorities violated the article on the prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment in relation to Ingush activist Zarifa Sautieva. The activist was awarded 1000 euros in compensation, although Russia does not consider itself obligated to comply with the decisions of the European Court.

September 18, 2024 23:23

  • Court dismisses appeal of activist Melikhova against fine for her verse

    A court dismissed all the arguments of the defence and upheld the decision to fine Marina Melikhova, an activist from Kuban, whose verse the law enforcement bodies recognized as discrediting the Russian Armed Forces. Marina Melikhova, who does not have the money to pay the fine, intends to file an appeal against the court’s decision.

September 18, 2024 22:40

  • Two natives of Northern Caucasus injured in shootout near “Wildberries” office in Moscow

    A shootout took place near an office of the “Wildberries” Company in the centre of Moscow. As a result, at least one person has been killed and several others have been wounded, sources report. Among the victims have been Abubakar Mestoev and Umar Chichaev, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from Northern Caucasus, reports Shamil Khadulaev, the chair of the Public Oversight Commission (POC) of Dagestan.

September 18, 2024 21:47

  • In Volgograd, court recognizes absence of HIV therapy in prison hospital

    The Central District Court of Volgograd awarded prisoner Ruslan Mitrofan compensation in the amount of 1000 roubles, recognizing that the administration of a prison hospital in Volgograd violated the prisoner’s right to receive medical care by not providing him with an HIV medicine. Meanwhile, Ruslan Mitrofan requested the compensation in the amount of 100,000 roubles.

September 18, 2024 20:29

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Events

News archive