Crisis in Azerbaijan deepens in 2016, NGO activists report

In Azerbaijan, the expiring year of 2016 was characterized by deepening of economic and social crisis and lack of progress in human rights sphere. The executive power has been increased due to adoption of the amendments to the Constitution, and the situation in the country has been affected by the escalation in the Karabakh conflict zone. This was noted by NGO activists, journalists, and oppositionists, questioned by the "Caucasian Knot".

"In 2015, the Azerbaijani economy faced start of crisis phenomena caused by a sharp drop in oil prices. In the expiring year of 2016, the crisis worsened, despite attempts to carry out reform in the tax and customs spheres," noted Togrul Juvarly, a member of the Azerbaijan National Public Committee for European Integration.

According to him, the social situation of the population has sharply worsened. Togrul Juvarly has noted that the average wage reached 303 US dollars, while in late 2014, it exceeded 500 US dollars.

Azerbaijan is experiencing a systemic crisis, believes Panakh Gusein, the head of the People's Party of Azerbaijan, the former Prime Minister of Azerbaijan (1993). According to him, the economic problems cannot be solved without the reforms of the political and judicial systems.

The year of 2016 has not led to progress in the human rights sphere, believes Rasul Jafarov, the head of the Human Rights Club. According to him, restriction on activities of NGOs still remains a serious problem.

According to Uzeir Jafarov, the leader of the NGO "Military Journalists", the year of 2016 was marked by the escalation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in April. He has noted that by summer, the diplomatic activities of international mediators began to fade.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.