Motion for a resolution tabled by Mr Christophe LACROIX and other members of the Assembly
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.
Signed (see overleaf)
Doc. 15521 Motion for a resolution
Signed1:
- LACROIX Christophe, Belgium, SOC
- ÆVARSDÓTTIR Thórhildur Sunna, Iceland,
- SOC ANDRIKIENĖ Laima Liucija, Lithuania, EPP/CD
- ARSLAN Sibel, Switzerland, SOC
- BAYR Petra, Austria, SOC
- BILOZIR Larysa, Ukraine, ALDE
- BOER Margreet, De, Netherlands, SOC
- BRUIJN-WEZEMAN Reina, de, Netherlands, ALDE
- BULAI Iulian, Romania, ALDE
- CILEVIČS Boriss, Latvia, SOC
- COTTIER Damien, Switzerland, ALDE
- EFSTATHIOU Constantinos, Cyprus, SOC
- FRESKO-ROLFO Béatrice, Monaco, ALDE
- FRIDEZ Pierre-Alain, Switzerland, SOC
- GAVAN Paul, Ireland, UEL
- GIOVAGNOLI Gerardo, San Marino, SOC
- GURMAI Zita, Hungary, SOC
- HAJDUKOVIĆ Domagoj, Croatia, SOC
- JENSEN Mogens, Denmark, SOC
- JÓNSSON Bjarni, Iceland, UEL
- KAIRIDIS Dimitrios, Greece, EPP/CD
- KATROUGALOS George, Greece, UEL
- KILJUNEN Kimmo, Finland, SOC
- KÖCK Eduard, Austria, EPP/CD
- MAIRE Jacques, France, ALDE
- MITREA Dumitrina, Romania, EC/DA
- MOUTQUIN Simon, Belgium, SOC
- NORDQVIST Rasmus, Denmark, SOC
- PAREREN Bob, van, Netherlands, EC/DA
- POCIEJ Aleksander, Poland, EPP/CD
- RAMPI Roberto, Italy, SOC
- RUSSELL Simon, United Kingdom, EC/DA
- SCHWABE Frank, Germany, SOC
- SPĂTARU Elena-Simona, Romania, ALDE
- STIENEN Petra, Netherlands, ALDE
- TORNARITIS Nicos, Cyprus, EPP/CD
- WEYEL Harald, Germany, EC/DA
- ZINGERIS Emanuelis, Lithuania, EPP/CD
ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
EC/DA: European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance
EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
SOC: Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group
UEL: Group of the Unified European Left