Afgan Mukhtarli, Seymur Hazi, and Sevinj Osmangizi
Catherine Pilishvili is a senior associate with the Europe and Central Asia programme at Human Rights Watch.
Azerbaijan is celebrating its National Press Day today. But when it comes to press freedoms, there’s not much to celebrate, argues Catherine Pilishvili from Human Rights Watch.
(report.az)
The Azerbaijani State Fund to Support Development of the Mass Media has raised the eligibility requirements for newspapers to receive support, effectively cutting off support for most newspapers. [Read more…]
Marina Khachatryan during the incident at the Yerevan City Hall (Screenshot /Azatutyun)
Armenia has passed a law banning reporters from attending Yerevan City Council. The law comes just weeks after reporters captured the physical assault of two female councillors in the council chamber. [Read more…]
Marina Khachatryan during the incident at the Yerevan City Hall (Screenshot /Azatutyun)
Journalists have been barred from attending Yerevan City Council days after reporting on the physical assault of two female councillors. Two women from the opposition Yerkir Tsirani (Apricot Country) party were attacked last week and thrown out of the council by a number male councillors from the ruling Republican Party.
Leyla Mustafayeva with her daughter.
The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan is among the highest in Europe. This repression serves not only as a tactic of intimidating journalists, activists, and the opposition, but also an instrument of foreign policy. [Read more…]
Opposition activists during the demonstration on 7 October (Azadliq Radio)
Hundreds of people gathered in Baku on 7 October to protest against state corruption. The rally was organised by the National Council of Democratic Forces — an umbrella group consisting of several of Azerbaijan’s opposition groups. [Read more…]
The new building for journalists (Aziz Elkhanoglu/OC Media)
Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, has awarded a number of journalists with flats, in an official opening ceremony of a large 17-floor building, constructed on his personal decree.
The new building for journalists (Aziz Elkhanoglu/OC Media)
An initiative from Azerbaijan’s government to grant free flats to journalists has sparked debate in local media circles. Journalists in favour hail it as a form of wealth redistribution, while others see it as yet another attempt to smother media freedom in the country.
Political activist Natig Adilov.
Azerbaijan’s ongoing crackdown against journalists and activists critical of the government has seen scores of critics imprisoned. Less well known are the stories of those who escape jail, but are still subjected to tremendous pressure — including restriction of their ability to travel abroad. [Read more…]
(meduza.io)
Ingush Head Yunus-Bek Yevkurov is likely to be summoned to court to testify in the case surrounding an attack on journalists and human rights activists in Ingushetia on 9 March 2016. Yevkurov’s testimony was requested by the victims’ lawyers.
