January 25th, 2013
This week the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) did not pass a resolution pressurising Azerbaijan to release or retry its political prisoners. Rebecca Vincent looks at how the body’s lack of pressure further endangers free expression in the country
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Tags: Tags: Authoritarian, Azerbaijan, Council of Europe, freedom of expression, human rights, Ilham Aliyev,
January 23rd, 2013
The future for political prisoners in Azerbaijan looks bleak after politicians at the Council of Europe (CoE) failed adopt an important resolution today calling for more than 80 cases to be resolved.
Azerbaijani authorities repeatedly deny the presence of any political prisoners in the country, which commands huge business interests around the world, including among several MPs from the United Kingdom, several of whom voted against the resolution.
Disappointment among those who campaign for free expression in Azerbaijan was palpable, with several NGO representatives referring to the vote — 79 in favour and 125 against — as a disgrace.
Among those being held on spurious charges are journalists Avaz Zeynalli, Hilal Mammadov and Vugar Gonagov.
The resolution was based on a report by Rapporteur Christoph Strasser, who was repeatedly denied entry into Azerbaijan to carry out his mandate. Several delegates refused to recognise the resolution on grounds that Strasser prepared his report from outside the oil-rich country.
However, free expression advocates welcomed the adoption of a resolution calling for continued monitoring of the country’s record on free speech and human rights, with 196 members voting in favour and only 13 against. The resolution was based on a report by the CoE’s rapporteurs to Azerbaijan, who expressed “growing concern with regard to rule of law and respect for human rights” in the country and encouraged the Azerbaijani government to strengthen its commitment to honour human rights obligations.
Index on Censorship and Crow Hill Films invite you to a screening of Amazing Azerbaijan! followed by a discussion on Azerbaijan and human rights on 30 January.
April 25th, 2012
The internet is now a central feature of everyday life but opinion is still divided on how to make it work for the common good. Earlier today in a panel discussion live streamed from the Council of Europe, Bill Echikson (Google), Simon Milner (Facebook), and Felix Treguer (La Quadrature du Net) debate the gap between responsibility and reality
Chaired by Index’s CEO Kirsty Hughes, you can watch the debate live below.
How can we guarantee freedom of expression online? Should governments monitor their citizens’ lives online in the name of security? Is it acceptable for new software to have inbuilt surveillance capacities? In this new landscape, how do we protect free speech online – and who can we count on to do so?
This panel discussion was jointly organised by Index on Censorship and the Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media and the UK Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Tags: Tags: Council of Europe,
April 25th, 2012
Tags: Tags: Council of Europe, Europe, freedom of expression,
January 25th, 2012
States urged to heighten sanctions against Europe’s last dictator as opposition leader tells of fears. Michael Harris reports
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Tags: Tags: Andrei Sannikov, Authoritarian, Belarus, Council of Europe,
May 23rd, 2011
As Belarus’s Central Bank devalues the ruble, the European Union has expanded sanctions and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) invokes human rights mechanism. Mike Harris reports
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Tags: Tags: Belarus, Council of Europe, Europe, press freedom, sanctions,
