<font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><b><font style="line-height:28.5pt">On the eve of IGF Azerbaijani parliament proposes to toughen legislation surrounding freedom of assembly</font><span style="line-height:28.5pt"> </span></b></font><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">

<span style="font-family:Georgia"><br></span></div><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);vertical-align:baseline;line-height:14.25pt;margin:0cm 0cm 14.25pt">

<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">On Tuesday, October 23 Azerbaijani parliamentarians </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">suggested to toughen the legislation surrounding freedom of assembly in the country, Caucasus Elections Watch wrote. (</span><a href="http://electionswatch.org/2012/10/30/ahead-of-presidential-elections-in-2013-azerbaijani-government-proposes-to-toughen-legislation-on-public-protests/" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent">http://electionswatch.org/2012/10/30/ahead-of-presidential-elections-in-2013-azerbaijani-government-proposes-to-toughen-legislation-on-public-protests/</a><span style="line-height:14.25pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">). </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">D</span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;background-color:transparent;font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">uring a joint  session held by </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;background-color:transparent;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif">parliamentary committees for “Legal Policy and State building”, and “Human Rights” p</span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">arliamentarians expressed their concerns that so-called “unauthorised actions”, which have been on the rise in recent years in Azerbaijan,  have had a negative impact on Azerbaijan’s international image. </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif">This trend, the  lawmakers say, is likely  a result of the fact that the penalties are not a big enough deterrent for protesters.</span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">The lawmakers suggested to increase the fines for participating in unsanctioned mobilizations up</span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia;font-size:10pt">  to 5000 and 8000 manat </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia;font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia;font-size:10pt">(up to 7-9 thousand USD). </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia;font-size:10pt"> </span><span style="line-height:14.25pt;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif">The proposed amendments to be sent to parliament for further deliberation.</span></p>

<p style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);vertical-align:baseline;line-height:14.25pt;margin:0cm 0cm 14.25pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(102,102,102)">Opposition argues these amendments do not comply with country’s obligations before Council of Europe and OSCE,  contradict the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms, the OSCE Copenhagen Document, the Council of Europe’s basic principles on freedom of expression and freedom of association.  Read more…</span></p>

<p style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);vertical-align:baseline;line-height:14.25pt;margin:0cm 0cm 14.25pt"><a href="http://electionswatch.org/2012/10/30/ahead-of-presidential-elections-in-2013-azerbaijani-government-proposes-to-toughen-legislation-on-public-protests/#more-961" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://electionswatch.org/2012/10/30/ahead-of-presidential-elections-in-2013-azerbaijani-government-proposes-to-toughen-legislation-on-public-protests/#more-961</a></p>

<p style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);vertical-align:baseline;line-height:14.25pt;margin:0cm 0cm 14.25pt">Narine Khachatryan</p>