Threats to life and safety of journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15521 | 02 May 2022

Signatories:

Mr Christophe LACROIX, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Thórhildur Sunna ÆVARSDÓTTIR, Iceland, SOC ; Ms Laima Liucija ANDRIKIENĖ, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Ms Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Margreet De BOER, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Reina de BRUIJN-WEZEMAN, Netherlands, ALDE ; Mr Iulian BULAI, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Damien COTTIER, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO, Monaco, ALDE ; Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Paul GAVAN, Ireland, UEL ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Zita GURMAI, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Domagoj HAJDUKOVIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Bjarni JÓNSSON, Iceland, UEL ; Mr Dimitrios KAIRIDIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr George KATROUGALOS, Greece, UEL ; Mr Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland, SOC ; Mr Eduard KÖCK, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Jacques MAIRE, France, ALDE ; Ms Dumitrina MITREA, Romania, EC/DA ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Rasmus NORDQVIST, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Bob van PAREREN, Netherlands, EC/DA ; Mr Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Roberto RAMPI, Italy, SOC ; Lord Simon RUSSELL, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Ms Elena-Simona SPĂTARU, Romania, ALDE ; Ms Petra STIENEN, Netherlands, ALDE ; Mr Nicos TORNARITIS, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Mr Harald WEYEL, Germany, EC/DA ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The growing level of violence in Azerbaijan, intolerance and ongoing threats against Azerbaijani journalists, bloggers and human rights activists is cause for great concern.

On 22 February 2022, a journalist and human rights defender, well-known LGBT activist, Avaz Shikhmammadov (a.k.a Avaz Hafizli), was killed at home. Numerous requests to protect his life were ignored by Azerbaijan's law enforcement agencies.

On 23 April 2022, a well-known blogger and human rights activist, former prisoner of conscience, outspoken critic of the authorities, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was abducted by masked individuals, who tortured and subjected him to inhuman treatment, including urinating on him, while filming it. They ordered the blogger to remove his critical publications. After Hajiyev deleted them, he was released and warned that his non-compliance may lead to him being raped and killed.

Over the past two months, many investigative journalists received warnings from Azerbaijani intelligence services' representatives to stop anti-corruption investigations against government officials. Otherwise, journalists were threatened with death and serious health problems looking like accidents or poisoning. After these threats, some of these journalists were forced to announce the termination of anti-corruption investigations, whereas some still decided to continue their work.

The Parliamentary Assembly should carefully consider and study the existing cases of murders and assassination attempts, ongoing threats to life and freedom of Azerbaijani journalists, bloggers, and human rights activists, who continue to work in the country and abroad, and prepare a comprehensive report on this issue.

The Assembly should call on the Azerbaijani Government to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights and guarantee the safety of journalists and human rights activists, allowing them to continue professional activities unhindered.