<span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms',sans-serif;font-size:large;letter-spacing:-1px;line-height:30px;color:rgb(66,33,11)">Human Rights Watch Calls on Azerbaijani Government to </span><span style="font-family:'trebuchet ms',sans-serif;font-size:large;letter-spacing:-1px;color:rgb(66,33,11);line-height:25px">Release Jailed Activists as Country Hosts Internet Governance Forum</span><div>

<br><div><div style="font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:1.75em;color:rgb(66,33,11);font-family:'Lucida Grande',Verdana,sans-serif;margin:0px;padding:0px"><div style="display:inline-block">

<ul style="border:0px;margin:0.5em 0em 1em;padding:0px;list-style:none;display:inline"><li style="margin:0px;border:0px;padding:0px;list-style:none outside none;float:left"><span style="line-height:1.75em;font-family:Georgia,serif">November 2, 2012 (Berlin) – At least eight journalists and three human rights defenders are in jail, and freedom of expression is severely limited in</span><span style="line-height:1.75em;font-family:Georgia,serif"> </span><a href="http://www.hrw.org/europecentral-asia/azerbaijan" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(51,153,204);line-height:1.75em;font-family:Georgia,serif">Azerbaijan</a><span style="line-height:1.75em;font-family:Georgia,serif">, the host of the upcoming United Nations-sponsored IGF, Human Rights Watch said in a</span><span style="line-height:1.75em;font-family:Georgia,serif"> </span><a href="http://www.hrw.org/node/111217" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(51,153,204);line-height:1.75em;font-family:Georgia,serif">briefing paper</a> </li>

<a href="http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/related_material/2012_Azerbaijan_Media_Freedom.pdf" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/related_material/2012_Azerbaijan_Media_Freedom.pdf</a> </ul>

</div></div><div style="font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:1.75em;color:rgb(66,33,11);margin:0px;padding:0px"><div style="font-family:'Lucida Grande',Verdana,sans-serif;display:inline-block">

<ul style="border:0px;margin:0.5em 0em 1em;padding:0px;list-style:none;display:inline">pu</ul></div><span style="font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:1.75em">blished today. </span><font face="georgia, serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height:15px">A</span><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt;line-height:15px">s</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height:15px"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height:15px"> IG<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">F</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.55pt"> </span> <span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt">h</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span>, <span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt"> </span>an<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">d</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing:-0.75pt"> </span> a  <span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">s</span>i<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">g</span>n <span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span>f  <span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">co</span>m<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">m</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span>me<span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">n</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:1.35pt"> </span> <span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.95pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span>he<span style="letter-spacing:-0.6pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt"> </span>I<span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">G</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">F</span>’<span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">’</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">s</span>  mul<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.25pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">-</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span>ake<span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt">h</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span>l<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">d</span>er<span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">m</span>an<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">d</span>a<span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt">t</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:1.9pt"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt">n</span>d<span style="letter-spacing:1pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">h</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">u</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">m</span>an <span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">d</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">v</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">e</span>l<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.2pt">p</span>ment<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt">f</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span>c<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">us</span>,<span style="letter-spacing:1.25pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span>he<span style="letter-spacing:1.3pt"> </span></span><span style="line-height:1.75em">government of Azerbaijan should use this opportunity to </span></font></div>

<div style="font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:1.75em;color:rgb(66,33,11);margin:0px;padding:0px"><div class="WordSection1">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.15pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:14.0pt;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt"><font face="georgia, serif"> </font></span></p>



<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:21.45pt;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:41.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:120%;text-autospace:none"><font face="georgia, serif"><span lang="EN-US">·</span><span lang="EN-US">    Release<span style="letter-spacing:1.9pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">j</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">u</span>rnali<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span>,<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>h<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">u</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">ma</span>n<span style="letter-spacing:1.7pt"> </span>rig<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">h</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>s<span style="letter-spacing:1.0pt"> </span>defe<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">n</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">d</span>ers,<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:1.7pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">so</span>cial<span style="letter-spacing:1.6pt"> </span>m<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">e</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">d</span>ia<span style="letter-spacing:1.5pt"> </span>ac<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">v</span>i<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>s<span style="letter-spacing:1.6pt"> </span>w<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">h</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:1.7pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">c</span>ases<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>are<span style="letter-spacing:1.2pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">d</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span>crib<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">e</span>d<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>this<span style="letter-spacing:1.1pt"> </span>briefing<span style="letter-spacing:.45pt">
</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">p</span>aper;</span></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:7.5pt;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:7.5pt"><font face="georgia, serif"> </font></span></p>



<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:44.0pt;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:41.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:15.5pt;text-autospace:none"><font face="georgia, serif"><span lang="EN-US">·</span><span lang="EN-US">    In<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>r<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">d</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">u</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing:.85pt"> </span>legi<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">l</span>a<span style="letter-spacing:.1pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">v</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:1.25pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">a</span>m<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">e</span>nd<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">m</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">n</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>s <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">t</span>o<span style="letter-spacing:.55pt"> </span>decr<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">i</span>min<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">a</span>lize<span style="letter-spacing:1.85pt"> </span>li<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">b</span>el<span style="letter-spacing:.3pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:1.7pt"> </span>i<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">n</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>r<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">d</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">u</span>ce<span style="letter-spacing:1.3pt"> </span>a<span style="letter-spacing:.55pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">r</span>ea<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">o</span>na<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">b</span>le<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>m<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">o</span>n<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">e</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>a<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">r</span>y<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">c</span>ap<span style="letter-spacing:1.2pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span>c<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">v</span>il<span style="letter-spacing:-.9pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">d</span>ef<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">a</span>m<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">a</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">t</span>i<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">o</span>n<span style="letter-spacing:1.85pt"> </span>ca<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">s</span>;</span></font></p>

</div>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.85pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:23.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none"><font face="georgia, serif"><span lang="EN-US">·</span><span lang="EN-US">     End<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"> </span> <span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>he <span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">e</span>ffec<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">i</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">v</span>e <span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>bl<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">a</span>n<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">ke</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:.7pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>ban<span style="letter-spacing:-.55pt"> </span> on  <span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">f</span>ree<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">do</span>m<span style="letter-spacing:.7pt"> </span> <span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">o</span>f <span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>as<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">s</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">m</span>bly <span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>Bak<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">u</span>’’s<span style="letter-spacing:2.05pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>ce<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">n</span><span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>er <span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>an<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">d</span><span style="letter-spacing:.7pt"> </span> <span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt">e</span>nd<span style="letter-spacing:-.7pt"> </span> <span style="letter-spacing:.05pt">t</span>he<span style="letter-spacing:-.95pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> us</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:.8pt">
</span> <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt">o</span>f  </span></font></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:2.8pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:41.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.5pt;text-autospace:none"><font face="georgia, serif"><span lang="EN-US" style>ex<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">c</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">ss</span>i<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">v</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:2.2pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">p</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span>lice<span style="letter-spacing:1.1pt"> </span>f<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span>rce<span style="letter-spacing:0.25pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span>o<span style="letter-spacing:0.45pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.1pt">d</span>i<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">sp</span>erse<span style="letter-spacing:1.25pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">u</span>n<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">s</span>ancti<span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">o</span>n<span style="letter-spacing:-0.15pt">e</span>d<span style="letter-spacing:-0.2pt"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">p</span>r<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">o</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">t</span>e<span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">s</span><span style="letter-spacing:0.05pt">t</span><span style="letter-spacing:-0.05pt">s</span>.</span><span lang="EN-US"></span></font></p>

<div><p style="margin:0.5em 0em 1em"><span style="line-height:1.75em"><font face="georgia, serif">The 10-page briefing paper describes Azerbaijan’s record of imprisoning journalists, human rights defenders, and political opposition activists, in most cases on bogus criminal charges, in apparent retaliation for their investigative journalism or political activism.</font></span><br>

<br><font face="Georgia, serif">As the formal convener of the Internet Governance Forum, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should remind the Azerbaijan government of its human rights obligations, Human Rights Watch said. Human Rights Watch called on governments attending the forum to raise freedom of expression concerns directly with the Azerbaijani authorities.</font></p>

<p style="font-family:Georgia,serif;margin:0.5em 0em 1em"><a href="http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/11/02/azerbaijan-shrinking-space-media-freedom" target="_blank" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/11/02/azerbaijan-shrinking-space-media-freedom</a></p>

</div></div></div><div><br></div>Narine Khachatryan<br><br>
</div>