Using art to campaign for democracy in Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan, it is not only journalists who face intimidation, arrests and violence: artists, musicians and writers also come under attack for exercising their right to artistic freedom. To coincide with the UN’s International Human Rights Day, Art for Democracy, a new initiative to support artistic freedom, was launched in Baku. “Art for Democracy seeks […]
After world attention fades, Azerbaijani activists are attacked and arrested during protest
Journalists and activists were arrested and brutally attacked on Saturday, 17 November during an opposition protest in the Azerbaijani capital Baku. Despite wearing clearly-marked press jackets, a number of independent reporters were assaulted, including Yeni Musavat newspaper correspondent Farahim Ilgaroglu, Turan Information Agency eporter Etimad Budagov, Media Forum correspondent Amid Suleymanov and Institute for Reporters’ […]
Activist charged as Council of Europe urged to pressure Azerbaijan on political prisoners
Azerbaijaini political activist and blogger Zaur Gurbanli was detained by police on 29 September. Gurblani was part of the Sing For Democracy campaign, which drew attention to Azerbaijan’s human rights record during this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in the capital Baku. After refusing to answer questions on the whereabouts of the Nida Civic Movement board member for two days, […]
The truth about Azerbaijan
The gas-rich country presents itself as open and modern, but Azerbaijan is not safe for activists and journalists fighting for free speech, says
Natasha Schmidt
European ministers call for Azerbaijan to release political prisoners
The Azerbaijani government must resolve the cases of 89 political prisoners and put an end to politically motivated arrests, the Council of Europe (CoE) said on 26 June. The resolution followed the publication of a report on Azerbaijan by Christoph Strässer, the CoE’s Special Rapporteur on political prisoners. The German MP has repeatedly been denied […]
