IRFS calls EU "trio" to help in defending human rights in Azerbaijan

The Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS) has addressed the delegation of the European Union's "trio", which arrives in Baku on July 19, with an appeal to raise, at negotiations with Azerbaijani officials, the issues of human rights violations and restriction of the freedom of press in the country.

On July 19-20, the arriving EU "trio" will include Karl Bild, EU Chairman and Swedish Foreign Minister, Peter Semnebi, EU Special Representative for Southern Caucasus, Paolo Barroso Simos, representative of the Secretary of the EU Office, and Karel Kovand and John Kyaer, representing the European Commission.

Emin Guseinov, director of the IRFS, said in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, making his comments on adoption of the IRFS' appeal to the "trio": "The situation with human rights and the freedom of speech in Azerbaijan worsens more and more."

According to Mr Guseinov, the situation with the freedom of press began steadily aggravating after the murder on March 2, 2005, of Elmar Guseinov, editor-in-chief of the "Monitor" magazine, which remains still unsolved.

Heads of some other editions, who were sharply criticizing the authorities, were thrown behind bars.

On July 8, bloggers - Emin Milli and Adnan Gadjizade - were arrested for the first time ever in Azerbaijan. Both young men placed their critical judgements on the policy of the government in the Internet. The former heads the Youth "Alumni Network" and is one of the founders of Internet television named ANTV. The latter is a co-founder of the youth movement "Ol" (Be!).

The IRFS Director has added: "The young men were arrested for hooliganism, although they were beaten themselves."

He said that in this context the IRFS asks the EU "trio" to demand the following from the Azerbaijani authorities: restore broadcasting of the Voice of America, Radio Liberty and BBC in local FM frequencies; release the journalists convicted under far-fetched charges; cancel criminal liability for slander; punish the persons who had applied physical force against journalists and violated their rights; release young bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadjizade and punish those who inflicted physical injuries to them; and cancel the recent amendments in legislation and Constitution restricting the work of mass media and civil society.