NFHRH demands to resume its office in Azerbaijan

The Norwegian Foundation "Human Rights House" (NFHRH) has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to resume the activities of its branch in this country – the "Azerbaijani Human Rights House (AHRH).

"Despite our regular contact with governmental officials with the aim to sign an agreement, the AHRH remains closed for a year already," says the statement of the NFHRH.

As noted in the statement, in January 2012 the AHRH was forced to leave the rented office in Baku. The reason was in the pressure of the police on the owner of the premise forcing him not to extend the lease agreement, the statement says.

"We regret that the government of Azerbaijan is using its legislation for restricting the freedom of association. This freedom is a fundamental right, which all the member-states of the Council of Europe undertake to guarantee," said Maria Dahle, Executive Director of the NFHRH.

In 2007, the AHRH was registered by the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan as an international branch of the NFHRH. This registration was in line with the then legislation of Azerbaijan.

So far, no comments of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan in connection with the application of the NFHRH are available. However, earlier the ministry officials used to note that "the issue of restart of the activities of the AHRH is at the stage of consideration."