Thomas Hammarberg states: freedom of expression in Azerbaijan is limited

The freedom of expression in Azerbaijan is limited, considerable improvements are needed in the country. As reported by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, this is what is said in the report of Thomas Hammarberg, CU commissioner on human rights, placed on June 29 at the Council of Europe sight.

The main attention in the document is paid to freedom of expression, meetings and associations, actions of the law enforcement agencies, administration of justice; there are also comments on the results of his visit to Nakhichevan region.

The commissioner is especially concerned about cases of threats, persecution and violence with regard to journalists and human rights activists, which have not been investigated. "The authorities must better protect journalists and other persons causing critics from any violence. The persons committing such acts must be appropriately punished. The persons sentenced for their views and expressions, including journalist Einulla Fatullaev and bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadzhizade, must be immediately released", runs the report by Hammarberg.

The commissioner also considers it necessary to decriminalize the responsibility for slander and insult in order to bring the national legislation in line with European standards. Additionally, Hammarberg recommends the authorities to allow the companies BBC, "Radio Freedom", "The Voice of America" and other foreign radio stations to resume broadcasting on local FM frequencies.

He notes the readiness of the authorities to undertake measures for facilitating NGO registration, but he expresses concern about the recent legislative amendments which may limit the freedom of association.

As regards illegal actions of law enforcement agencies, the commissioner calls for an independent and efficient investigation of all reports on torture and inhuman treatment and an imposition of appropriate punishment.

Commissioner Hammarberg is also concerned about non-enforcement of judicial rulings.

Concerning the situation in Nakhichevan, the commissioner stresses that forced placement to psychiatric institutions must only be allowed on the basis of a court judgment based on a medical examination.

The report by Hammarberg has caused different assessments. Evda Abramov, deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee on human rights, representing the ruling party "Eni Azerbaijan" (PEA), considers the CE commissioner report as "overweighted".

He is sure that all freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan. In particular, he thinks that the freedom of press is fully provided, there are thousands of newspapers, many of them criticize ministers and the country's top leadership.

On the contrary, Azeri human rights activists welcome the report of Hammarberg. "All the concerns of the local human rights activists have been reflected in the Commissioner's report. Now, different structures of the Council of Europe should undertake real measures to influence the authorities in order to eliminate the existing problems in the area of human rights", states Emin Gusseinov, director of the Institute for Freedom and Security of Reporters (ISBR).