"Institute of Peace and Democracy": freedom of speech destroyed in Azerbaijan

The Azeri authorities use all possible mechanisms for destroying the freedom of speech in the country. This has been stated by Leila Yunus, director of the "Institute of Peace and Democracy", while commenting on the arrest of Ganimat Zakhidov, chief editor of the "Azadlyg" newspaper.

The court proceedings held on November 11 at Yasamal district court of Baku and chaired by judge Takhir Isamailov who ruled to apply a measure of restraint in the form of 2 months' arrest with regard to Ganimat Zakhidov, took place behind the closed doors. No human rights activists, mass media or representatives of embassies were allowed to attend it.

For reference, Zakhidov, chief editor of the first opposition newspaper in the Soviet Azerbaijan, is accused under article 127 (infliction of slight bodily injury) and article 221 (hooliganism) of the Azeri criminal code.

In the opinion of Leila Yunus, Ganimat Zakhidov, as well as journalist Sakhit Zakhidov, his brother, convicted last year for three years of prison for drugs, is a victim of "provocation by full-time provocateurs of the republic's law enforcement agencies" and has become a ninth arrested journalist of Azerbaijan.

While expressing her indignation, the director of the "Institute of Peace and Democracy" notes that the Azeri leadership is not going to react either to the indignation of the civil society inside the republic or to the strict statements of international democratic community in continuing to suppress rights and freedoms in the republic.

The reason is that Azerbaijan is economically invulnerable and does not need financial support of international financial institutions as, for instance, Georgia. Additionally, the countries of the European Union are  interested in Azeri energy sources as an alternative to the Russian ones. Also, there is still a chance to use Azerbaijan in the yet possible military operation against Iran.

At the same time, the protesting electorate on which the Azeri opposition traditionally relied is currently demoralized by many years of political repression. Human rights activists note that weak civil society is being diluted by the actively created pro-government NGOs (GONGO), while opposition journalists are persecuted.