In a statement made on 1 October, Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov threatened NGOs and journalists, warning that some NGOs operating in Azerbaijan are violating national law by failing to obtain official registration, and by neglected to inform the state of funds received from overseas.
“NGOs are not signing contracts with the journalists with whom they are cooperating and avoid informing the authorities about the funds that they receive. As a consequence they are held to account before the law and will continue to be held to account if this behaviour continues,” declared the Prosecutor General.
In 2014, a number of independent NGOs saw their bank accounts suspended, their equipment seized, and their leaders arrested. Parliament has passed repressive amendments to NGO laws and several NGO leaders have been arrested.