Democracy For Azerbaijan

R adio Liberty is a United States government-funded broadcasting organization. It provides news, information and analysis. Information which is banned by local government.   More than 35 million people are listening to Radio Liberty throughout the World. The first broadcasting of Radio Liberty Azerbaijan was in 1953 from Munhen, Germany. In 1995 it has moved from Munhen to Prague. Since 2004 Radio Liberty had official office in Baku. The mission of Radio Liberty is to provide society with objective information and build civil society by supporting democratic values. It is fighting against ethnic and religious intolerance. Azerbaijan police raided the office of Radio Liberty in Baku, shutting down the office and ordering its journalists to stop working. The broadcaster has received no information on why it is targeted. Radio Liberty was a great source for Azerbaijan society to get the objective information without government’s interference.   We do not n...

In summer IREX became the subject of progovernment newspaper articles accusing it of attempting to organize revolution in Azerbaijan. Bank accounts of IREX were frozen in July and Baku office was raided in September as part of criminal case against local and foreign NGO. On October 8, IREX’S Washington office announced the suspension of operations in Azerbaijan Irex has worked in Azerbaijan since 1998. With UGRAD and Muskie programs many Azerbaijani students got opportunity to study in the USA for one year. IREX Deputy director Leon Morse has told to Liberty Radio on his interview “Wherever we work on independent media projects, the governments see us as a threat.   He thinks that it is closed because some governments do not want to give room for independent media.   I feel really sorry that now Azerbaijan University students will not have chance to study in the USA Universities   with UGRAD and MUSKIE Progams.

Journalist Khadija Ismayil was arrested on December 5th.  I had heard of Khadija Ismayil a long time before, but I had a chance to meet her personally in 2013 at Azadliq Radio Station. She seemed as very positive and kind person. Khadija Ismayil is an Azerbaijani investigate journalist who is working for Azadliq Radio Station.   She is the host of debate show “ İşdən Sonra” (after work) Today December 4th Khadija got arrested on charges of incitement to suicide.In fact Khadija Ismayilova had delved into the wealth of the country;s first family and after this she got arrested. Khadija Ismayilova has also been blackmailed in 2011. Intimate pictures and a video of her with her boyfriend had been recorded hiddenly. A letter with the pictures warned her to stop investigating about government corruption. When Khadija did not give up her video and photos got all on the internet.

Today there was a rally in Baku “Məhsul ” stadium.   Rally was organized by national council. In rally participants have required to release political prisoners. Chairman of National Council Jamil Hasanli have mentioned in his speech “The amount of political prisoners have increased. One year before there was 10-15 political prisoners but today we have 105-110 political prisoners. BBC Journalist Aziz Karimov has given interview “There were 6 people who were participating in rally with Isis Flag. Police have detained them. Jamil Hasanli thinks that it is provocation against them. Member of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Natig Huseynov also thinks that this action is provocation. He said “ I was one of the people who were eliminating the group with ISIS Flag. After few minutes I saw the same person with ISIS flag entering the stadium where we held the rally. Some people had come to rally with photos of political prisoners.

Background:   Seymur Hazi is a commentator of Azadliq (Liberty) newspaper and presenter at Azerbaycan saati (Azerbaijan hour)   an internet based TV Program. On his TV Program Seymur was criticizing Azerbaijan government. Case of Seymur Hazi:   In Jeyranbatan area a person named Maharram Hasanov has reached Seymur and asked him why he did not respond to his message in social media and attacked him without waiting for answer. Shortly after policeman had come there and detained Seymur Hazi. On March 26, 2011 he had been kidnapped in Jeyranbatan settlement and was subjected to violence by a masked man. Masked man had told him “ Don’t be silly. Do not write against Ilham Aliyev” He had given interview about this incident on media but no criminal case launched about this case.

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On 28 of June human rights defender Aliabbas Rustamov got arrested. He is the head off the Yasavul Law Firm.   Before his arrest he had critisized the government on his facebook page. He has mentioned about country’s problems on his facebook page. He has also supportedthe nominee from opposition: Jamil Hasanli. He was actively participating in the rallies of Jamil Hasanli. Before his arrest Rustamov had applied to become a counsel at the court proceedings of prisoner Anar Mammadov. But notary created problems for him to get Anar Mammadov’s agreement signature. Aliabbas Rustamov is charged on presentation of a bribe to an official for the commitment of an intentional illegal act by him.

Today is the birthday of Mr. Ilgar Mammadov. He is arrested and sentenced to 7 years in prison. Who is Ilqar Mammadov? Ilqar Mammadov is a leader of Republic Alternative movement. He was considered as candidate for the Presidential elections in Azerbaijan but just before the elections Ilqar Mammadov got arrested in Februrary of 2013. He was sentenced to 7 years in jail in March 2014. Ilqar Mammadov has graduated from Lomonosov Moscow University in the field of Political Science. He has also received degree from Central Euopean University in the field of political economy. He was the director of the Council of Europe School of Political Studies in Baku. Ilgar Mammadov was the first blogger in Azerbaijan in politics. Ilgar Mammadov has served as Deputy Chairman at National Independence Party ( from 1998-2003). On May 22 Euorepean Court of Human Rights found that Azerbaijani government has violated the rights of Ilgar Mammadov and orders to Az...

Court process of Abilov ABDUL Social Media activist Abilov Abdul got arrested on May 27 th of 2013. He is tha administrator of facebook page “ Yaltaqlara dur deyək ”.   On this facebook page he was sharing posts about fraud on elections. Abdul is 31 year old and he has mentioned that government has arrested him because of his posts on facebook. “ Police member have come to my house and searched the house. They have thrown drug into my pocket” his relatives have mentioned. Investigators have also mentioned that they are arresting him because of his facebook posts. 6 days before was his court process. He is accused on keeping mass drugs. In the court process Abdul’s mother has entered to the court hall with Quran and had asked witness to swear if they have seen Abdul using drugs. But witnesses have stayed away from Quran and ordered judge to dismiss Abdul’s mother from court room. In the court process judge has not asked Abdul about drugs but about his joining ...