Holding rallies and demonstrations is a right, specified in article 31 of the Russian constitution and one which is regularly abused by Russian authorities. Since 31 July 2009 the opposition has held protests in support of peaceful assembly on the...
A Russian journalist has been hospitalised after being stabbed 20 times. Sergei Aslanyan from Radio Mayak, was lured out of his house by an anonymous caller who invited him for a chat at around midnight. The former presenter on Echo...
The landslide winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, Sweden’s Loreen, has thwarted Azerbaijan’s attempts to use the competition to whitewash its record on free speech
Azerbaijani fans of Sacha Baron Cohen are out of luck if they are interested in seeing his latest movie, The Dictator. In the film Baron Cohen plays corrupt dictator Admiral General Aladeen, a character inspired by the late eccentric Libyan...
Police in Azerbaijan crack down on a protest in Baku ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest.
As we approach tomorrow’s Eurovision song contest in Azerbaijan, Index CEO Kirsty Hughes asks if the event will shine a light on the country’s atrocious human rights record
READ MORE: Azerbaijan facing the music thanks to Eurovision
AND: Eurovision mired in deeper controversy by further clampdown on dissent in Baku
Song contest puts focus on human rights.
SIGN INDEX’S PETITION FOR FREE SPEECH IN AZERBAIJAN HERE
The whereabouts of two Azerbaijani writers remains unknown, after they were allegedly kidnapped in Iran. Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Hajizade were reportedly set upon by eight men in civilian dress as their bus arrived from Tehran into Tabriz, in...
As the world turns its attention to Azerbaijan for the Eurovision Song Contest, police crack down on dissent in Baku.
Index calls on Azerbaijan government to protect human rights
A 24-year-old Azerbaijani musician who says he was tortured by police after he insulted the country’s president during a concert has fled to Germany over concerns for his safety. Jamal Ali had criticised President Ilham Aliyev and his late mother...