RWB joins Azerbaijan protest at Council of Europe in Strasbourg

Azerbaijan, ranked 160th of 180 countries in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Europe last month, despite being the most repressive of the human rights organization’s members. The protest, aimed at drawing attention to the alarming state of freedom of expression in the country, took place outside the Council’s offices just before Aliyev was due to deliver a speech to the organization’s Parliamentary Assembly at 11:30 a.m. Françoise Schöller, president of the Strasbourg Press Club, Johann Bihr, head of the Reporters Without Borders Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk and Pieter Omtzigt, the assembly’s rapporteur, all addressed the gathering. Rashid Hajili, head of the Media Rights Institute and a lawyer who acts on behalf of journalists and bloggers who are prosecuted, and Ganimat Zahid, editor of the financially struggling opposition newspaper, Azadlig, also spoke about the repressive moves by the Azerbaijani government. The demonstrators held up placards describing Aliyev as the Council of Europe’s “champion of repression”. The speakers noted that the attempt to eradicate media pluralism in Azerbaijan was on the point of succeeding, as illustrated by the financial strangulation of the independent newspaper Zerkalo, the imprisonment of the journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov and the eight-year prison sentence imposed on the journalist Parviz Hachimli. Hajili added that lawyers and human rights campaigners who supported journalists and independent bloggers were also subjected to repression. Zahid concluded by saying: “Now, it’s over to the Council of Europe.” “Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the Council of Europe is a key moment, not only for Baku but also for the organization,” said Bihr. “The Azerbaijani authorities are duty bound to finally undertake the reforms needed to meet Council of Europe standards on freedom of expression and to allow media pluralism to exist. Imprisoned journalists and bloggers must be released immediately. If there is no progress in this direction, we expect a firm response and clear penalties by the Council of Europe.” Aliyev’s speech to the Parliamentary Assembly was interrupted when protesters with their mouths gagged and wearing tee shirts showing images of imprisoned Azerbaijani political activists stood up in the chamber. Aliyev has denied there are political prisoners in the country. At least eights journalists and a similar number of bloggers are currently in prison in Azerbaijan. The country is ranked 160th of 180 countries in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.