AZERBAIJANI NGOs CALL ON FRENCH PRESIDENT TO DISCUSS HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITH AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT

The Institute for Reporters` Freedom and Safety has sent a letter to the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. 

The appeal asks for help in addressing the lack of  information on the efforts to catch the criminals behind the murder of Monitor journal editor-in-chief Elmar Huseynov, the ban of foreign radio stations from local radio airwaves, the lack of local access to alternative television and radio broadcasting, the poor situation of print media, and on harassments against journalists.

In addition, another appeal was sent to the French President by the organizations that launched a human rights campaign on the eve of Eurovision 2012. The authors of the appeal informed Mr. Sarkozy about Azerbaijan’s problems in freedom of expression and speech, property rights, political prisoners, and freedom of assembly, and emphasized the need to address these problems.
The appeal noted the repressions launched against opposition representatives and youth activists since early 2011, asked the French President to discuss these issues in his meeting with Ilham Aliyev, and called on his help to solve the issues ahead of Eurovision 2012.
The “Free music in non-free country” human rights campaign was initiated by the Alliance for Protection of Political Freedoms, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, Peace and Democracy Institute, and Human Rights Club. Since then the following organizations have joined the campaign.
1.   Legal Education Public Union
2.   Legal  Education Society
3.   Media Rights Institute
4.   Public Union for Assistance to Free Economy
5.   Defense Committee for the Rights of Oilmen
6.   Legal Initiatives Center
7.   NIDA Civil Movement
8.    Free Youth Organization
9.     Democratic Journalism School
10.    Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center
11.    Public Movement for Human Rights
12.   Caucasian Media Researches Center
13.    Democracy Monitor