Activists call on international community to help stop repressions in Azerbaijan

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Security (IRFS) and members of the EU's Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) called on the international community not to remain indifferent to human rights violations in Azerbaijan and help stop the persecution of government critics.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 13, the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) of Azerbaijan noted a new wave of repression against critics of the government. Opposition demanded to immediately release the activists arrested on false charges and an end to their persecution.

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Security (IRFS) released a statement in which it noted "absolutely unreasonable and increasing attempts by the authorities to restrict freedom of expression in Azerbaijan". "This is manifested in the form of trumped-up criminal and administrative cases against human rights defenders, journalists and activists, threats from law enforcers in address of media reporters in order to limit the spread of criticism," declared the IRFS in its statement received by the "Caucasian Knot" on April 27.

The IRFS associates the restrictions on freedom of expression with a recent statement about the need to isolate the opposition voiced by the Azerbaijani president.

Activists from the IRFS urged countries in Western Europe, the United States, and Canada to closely monitor the situation with fundamental human rights in Azerbaijan that is deteriorating amid the coronavirus pandemic and to take all possible diplomatic and international legal mechanisms to deter the Azerbaijani authorities from repressions.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 28, 2020 at 01:31 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.