June 14th, 2012
On the evening of 13 June, Azerbaijani photojournalist
Mehman Huseynov was released after being detained the previous day. He was arrested after being accused of insulting policemen and charged with “hooliganism”, a
regular tactic used by Azerbaijani authorities to silence critical voices in the country. Huseynov’s arrest, together with the sentencing of
Anar Bayramli on 11 June and the arrest of other political activists, has widely been seen as part of a
renewed clampdown on freedom of expression following the
Eurovision Song Contest on 26 May. The charges against Huseynov remain.
To sign Index on Censorship’s petition to support free expression in Azerbaijan, click here
May 25th, 2012
Police in Azerbaijan crack down on protests ahead of the Song Contest. Andrew Connelly reports
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May 22nd, 2012
As the world turns its attention to Azerbaijan for the Eurovision Song Contest, police crack down on dissent. Andrew Connelly reports
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May 18th, 2012
As the Eurovision Song Contest hits our screens next week, Index calls on the expected 125 million viewers not to ignore the human rights abuses – against journalists, artists, activists – that the Azerbaijan government presides over
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May 15th, 2012
Index on Censorship writer and youth activist
Turgut Gambar was among activists arrested yesterday (14 May) during a demonstration in Baku, Azerbaian. Police
violently dispersed peaceful protests ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest which will take place later this month. Specifically targeting opposition party members, police beat demonstrators at rallies in Sabir Garden in front of the city authorities’ offices. Around 300 protesters gathered to call for the release of Azerbaijan’s political prisoners.
March 27th, 2012
As the international community looks forward to the Eurovision Song Contest, Azerbaijan is working hard to present itself as a modern, democratic country. But a new report from Index and partners paints a very different picture
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Tags: Tags: Azerbaijan, censorship, Eurovision Song Contest, free expression, free speech, Human Rights House, Idrak Abbasov, International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan, Khadija Ismayilova, Vugar Gojayev,
March 12th, 2012
With the Eurovision Song Contest looming, Azerbaijanis are becoming more vocal in their demands for change, says Turgut Gambar
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