azerbaijan

You are browsing the azerbaijan tag archive.

2009 a year of living dangerously as autocrats target activists

Authoritarian regimes have deliberately targeted and intensified attacks against human rights and democracy advocates over the past year, according to the annual review of Human Rights Watch. [read full story]

Azerbaijani court rejects bloggers’ appeal

An Azerbaijani court today rejected a complaint filed by jailed bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada about mistreatment by police. The hearing, held behind closed doors, concerned Milli and Hajizada’s detention after they filed a complaint against two assailants.
The bloggers were attacked and arrested after a youth group, Ol, posted a video in which a [read full story]

Azerbaijan: civil society wins – for now

Azerbaijan’s civil society has won at least a temporary victory in blocking proposed amendments to the NGO and media laws that many feared would close political space and harden the Caspian state’s purportedly soft authoritarianism.
The final draft dropped controversial provisions that significantly impeded foreign funding, required NGOs to disclose members; personal details, and prescribed harsh [read full story]

Azerbaijan: proposed NGO changes postponed

Azerbaijan’s parliament, the Milli Mejlis, has postponed discussion of the proposed amendments to the NGO and media laws scheduled for today. Officials claimed that the deferral was due to lack of but democracy activists insist it was, in the words of one activist “clearly a political move” in response to “strong international and local resistance.”
Some [read full story]

Azerbaijan: ’soft authoritarianism’ hardens as new laws threaten civil society, independent media

Azerbaijan: ’soft authoritarianism’ hardens as new laws threaten civil society, independent media

An extra-ordinary session of Azerbaijan’s parliament convenes tomorrow to consider proposed legislation on non-governmental organizations and the media which critics believe will seriously undermine rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association. The debate takes place just 10 days after the proposed amendments were made public, giving critics little chance to mobilize or comment [read full story]

Azerbaijan’s ‘robust authoritarianism’ a challenge to democracy assistance groups

Azerbaijan’s ‘robust authoritarianism’ a challenge to democracy assistance groups

Authoritarian hybrid regimes present particular challenges to democracy assistance groups, a recent meeting at the National Endowment for Democracy heard. The arch of historical development no longer appears to be on a democratic trajectory as the post-communist optimism assumed by the transition paradigm and given further momentum by the color revolutions has dissipated.
A case in [read full story]

Obama aide’s Azerbaijan jaunt spotlights autocrats’ GONGO fronts

Authoritarian regimes have become adept at creating government-organized NGOs as a “tool of choice for undemocratic governments to manage their domestic politics while appearing democratic.” Part of a concerted backlash against bona fide democratic actors, GONGOs also deflect attention and resources from genuine democratic actors, creating a misleading impression of a healthy civil society.
It [read full story]

Azerbaijan vs. freedom of expression

The Azerbaijani government has postponed the trial  of human rights activist Leyla Yunus, head of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, a grantee of the National Endowment for Democracy. Human rights groups have called for the authorities to abandon a libel case against Yunus who is accused of “insulting” the interior ministry and causing “moral [read full story]

Azerbaijan election: flawed process, predictable result

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev appears set for re-election in tomorrow’s poll which is being boycotted by opposition groups. They contend that the electoral process is rigged as a result of flawed procedures, media bias, and the harassment and imprisonment of opposition figures.
“The government has not taken the necessary measures to create a democratic, political environment,” says [read full story]

Search by Category

Browse Democracy Links

Bulletin and Archives

Opportunities and Events

Subscribe to the RSS Feed


Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner