AW: [governance] news from Baku

Sat Jun 23 10:04:26 EDT 2012

Aye.

Gorka Orueta

Enviado desde mi iPad

El 23/06/2012, a las 14:16, "Kettemann, Matthias (matthias.kettemann at uni-graz.at)"<matthias.kettemann at uni-graz.at> escribió:

> Aye.
> 
> Matthias C. Kettemann
> 
> 
> Am 23.06.2012 um 20:24 schrieb "Kleinwächter, Wolfgang" <wolfgang.kleinwaechter at medienkomm.uni-halle.de>:
> 
>> Aye
>> 
>> wolfgang
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> 
>> Von: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org im Auftrag von Koven Ronald
>> Gesendet: Sa 23.06.2012 10:51
>> An: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com; ms.narine.khachatryan at gmail.com
>> Cc: jlfullsack at orange.fr
>> Betreff: Re: [governance] news from Baku
>> 
>> 
>> aye
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro <salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com>
>> To: governance <governance at lists.igcaucus.org>; Narine Khachatryan <ms.narine.khachatryan at gmail.com>
>> Cc: Jean-Louis FULLSACK <jlfullsack at orange.fr>
>> Sent: Sat, Jun 23, 2012 3:50 am
>> Subject: Re: [governance] news from Baku
>> 
>> 
>> I propose that we as Civil Society issue a Statement. All in favour,
>> say AYE and those not in favour saÿ NAY.
>> 
>> Feel free to give reasons if you so wish.
>> 
>> On 6/22/12, Narine Khachatryan <ms.narine.khachatryan at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Dear all,
>>> 
>>> Recently the Azerbaijani parliament restricted the public access to
>>> information about the registration, ownership structure and shareholders of
>>> Azerbaijani corporations. Justification is to protect the privacy of Azeri
>>> president and his family.  Interesting. Henceforth, the general public
>>> would be denied such information, since it "contradicts the national
>>> interests of Azerbaijan".
>>> 
>>> Azerbaijan: Parliament Throws Veil of Secrecy over Business Sector
>>> 
>>> http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65534
>>> June 13, 2012 - 12:00pm, by Shahin
>>> Abbasov<http://www.eurasianet.org/taxonomy/term/1358>
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  - Azerbaijan <http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/azerbaijan>
>>>  - EurasiaNet's Weekly
>>> Digest<http://www.eurasianet.org/taxonomy/term/3279>
>>> 
>>>  - Azeri Economy <http://www.eurasianet.org/taxonomy/term/3864>
>>>  - Azeri Politics <http://www.eurasianet.org/taxonomy/term/3670>
>>> 
>>> Recent legislative efforts in Azerbaijan to protect the privacy of
>>> President Ilham Aliyev and his family are coming at the expense of
>>> investors, both foreign and domestic.
>>> 
>>> The Azerbaijani parliament voted June 12 to restrict public access to
>>> information about the registration, ownership structure and shareholders of
>>> Azerbaijani corporations. In addition, legislators granted President Aliyev
>>> and his wife, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, lifetime immunity from criminal
>>> prosecution.
>>> 
>>> The immunity provision for the Aliyevs was not unexpected: the proposal had
>>> been under consideration for a year. But the corporate secrecy amendment
>>> was added to parliament's agenda only after the conclusion of the May
>>> 22-26 Eurovision
>>> Song Contest <http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65459>.
>>> 
>>> The pop-music festival, which brought unprecedented international attention
>>> to Azerbaijan, was preceded by a series of articles by RFE/RL investigative
>>> journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who highlighted alleged conflicts of
>>> interest involving mining rights granted to a gold-mining
>>> company<http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65357>owned <http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65357%3Eowned>
>>> by President Aliyev's two daughters, Leyla and Arzu, and Eurovision
>>> construction work <http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65389>by <http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65389%3Eby>  a company linked
>>> to the two Aliyevas and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, the head of
>>> Eurovision's organizing committee. [Editor's Note: Islamyilova also
>>> contributes to EurasiaNet].
>>> 
>>> By law, officials' relatives may own businesses, but members of parliament
>>> - the First Lady sits in the legislature for the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan
>>> Party - cannot.
>>> 
>>> In public statements, government officials have asserted that such
>>> investigative coverage violated the presidential family's right to
>>> privacy<http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62572>.
>>> The articles followed earlier pieces that examined the Aliyeva daughters'
>>> investments in telecommunications, airport operations and banking.
>>> 
>>> Under the terms of the secrecy amendment, obtaining information about such
>>> investments now could prove more difficult. The government will release
>>> information about the registrations of for-profit companies only upon
>>> request by a court, law-enforcement agency or Central Bank monitors
>>> investigating suspected money-laundering or the financing of terrorist
>>> groups.
>>> 
>>> Journalists and the general public would be denied such information if its
>>> distribution "contradicts the national interests of Azerbaijan in
>>> political, economic and monetary policy, the defense of public order, the
>>> health and moral values of the people and harms the commercial and other
>>> interests of individuals."
>>> 
>>> In addition, corporate records will be provided only if the petitioner has
>>> the consent of those individuals named in the data.
>>> 
>>> Information about registered Azerbaijani companies' ownership and
>>> shareholders previously had been publicly available on the Ministry of
>>> Taxes' website. The ministry was required to provide registry details to
>>> citizens within a week of receipt of a written request.
>>> 
>>> All but four of the 103 members of parliament present voted in favor of the
>>> restrictions. Another two MPs did not vote; First Lady Aliyeva was not
>>> present.
>>> 
>>> President Aliyev is expected to sign the secrecy and immunity amendments
>>> into law this week.
>>> 
>>> Government officials have not commented on the amendments, but one senior
>>> Yeni Azerbaijani Party MP who backed the new restrictions claimed the
>>> measure does not limit Azerbaijanis' right to information. In June 6
>>> comments to the Azeri-language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,
>>> Ali Huseynly, chair of the parliament's Committee on Legal Policy and State
>>> Building, claimed that the amendment "clarifies the frameworks for the
>>> right to receive information." The lack of such "frameworks" often leads to
>>> "violations," Huseynly added.
>>> 
>>> Parliamentarian Fazail Agamaly, a member of the pro-government Ana Vatan
>>> (Motherland) Party, asserted that "[j]ournalists should be satisfied with
>>> the information about a company provided by its owner."
>>> 
>>> "Otherwise, the release of some information could create financial problems
>>> for businesses," Agamaly reasoned.
>>> 
>>> Civil society and media-rights watchdogs counter that the secrecy
>>> amendment, indeed, is designed to prevent problems - namely, for Aliyev's
>>> friends and family members.
>>> 
>>> Lawyer Intigam Aliyev [no relation to the presidential family], director of
>>> the Legal Education Society, a Baku non-governmental organization that
>>> monitors legislation implementation, asserted the amendment is "a response
>>> of corrupt authorities to a number of articles in local and foreign media
>>> about the large business assets of the ruling family in Azerbaijan and
>>> oligarchs."
>>> 
>>> Opposition MP Igbal Aghazade, a member of the Umid (Hope) Party, who voted
>>> against the amendment, said the measure only "serves the idea of keeping
>>> information about the commercial interests of a group of high-ranking
>>> government officials a secret."
>>> 
>>> Restricting the availability of company data from the public can harm the
>>> country's ability to fight corruption, noted Media Rights Institute
>>> Director Rashid Hajily. In 2011, Azerbaijan ranked 143rd out of 183
>>> countries in a corruption index compiled by the international watchdog
>>> group Transparency International.
>>> 
>>> "Citizens will be deprived of public [oversight] over officials' links with
>>> businesses," Hajily said. "It creates a strong foundation for the
>>> proliferation of conflicts of interest."
>>> 
>>> Meanwhile, activists who tried to
>>> highligh<http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65388>t <http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65388%3Et>
>>> Azerbaijan's spotty civil-rights record during the Eurovision contest say
>>> that they will fight back against the "business secrets" amendment. "We
>>> will campaign both locally and internationally, will demand in public
>>> debates the annulment of this legislation, will raise the issue at related
>>> international conferences and in interviews with foreign media," pledged
>>> Rasul Jafarov, head of the Human Rights Club, a Baku-based non-governmental
>>> organization.
>>> Editor's note:
>>> Shahin Abbasov is a freelance reporter based in Baku.
>>> 
>>> On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 1:53 PM, Jean-Louis FULLSACK
>>> <jlfullsack at orange.fr>wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Dear members of the list
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> latest news from Baku published by IPS
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Jean-Louis Fullsack
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> After the Curtain Call, a Crackdown Begins
>>>> By Shahla Sultanova <http://www.ipsnews.net/author/shahla-sultanova/>
>>>> Republish
>>>> |
>>>> 
>>>> BAKU, Jun 19 2012 (IPS) - As the attention of the world faded away from
>>>> Azerbaijan after the recent Eurovision song contest, police began
>>>> targeting
>>>> some young activists and a journalist involved in protests here last
>>>> month.
>>>> 
>>>> The Eurovision song contest was as much a moment of enjoyment for music
>>>> lovers as it was a fierce contest between the Azerbaijani government and
>>>> its opponents to highlight the 'reality' of a politically turbulent
>>>> country; with the former presenting a respectable image to the West, and
>>>> the latter struggling to expose human rights violations and government
>>>> suppression of basic civil liberties.
>>>> 
>>>> More than ten protest rallies were organised on the eve of the contest.
>>>> 
>>>> Human rights defenders and activists had anticipated a post-Eurovision
>>>> crackdown, when the spotlight had turned away from the country and the
>>>> government would be free to punish those who had dared to educate the
>>>> world
>>>> about the grave situation on the ground in Azerbaijan.
>>>> 
>>>> On Jun. 6, the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), a
>>>> media
>>>> rights watchdog, was notified by the Sabail District Police Office that a
>>>> photo journalist named Mehman Huseynov, an IRFS member, had allegedly
>>>> insulted police officers during a protest on May 21.
>>>> 
>>>> The district police office has now opened a criminal case against
>>>> Huseynov
>>>> under Article 221.2.2 of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
>>>> If
>>>> found guilty, Huseynov will face five years in prison.
>>>> 
>>>> Huseynov (23), said the accusation is related to his work, which for many
>>>> years has entailed photographing events that depict government
>>>> wrongdoings
>>>> and disseminating them via social media.
>>>> 
>>>> Several months prior to Eurovision, Huseynov actively joined the Sing for
>>>> Democracy Campaign.
>>>> 
>>>> "I was media coordinator within the campaign. My photos and videos were
>>>> shared in international media.  Of course, they showed the reality of
>>>> Azerbaijan, (which) is unfortunately not very positive. That is why I am
>>>> a
>>>> target now," he told IPS.
>>>> 
>>>> Over 30 human rights organisations joined Sing for Democracy in an effort
>>>> to pressure organisers of the contest to demand greater democracy in
>>>> Azerbaijan.
>>>> 
>>>> The campaign called for the release of political prisoners, freedom of
>>>> expression and assembly, protection of property rights and the
>>>> independence
>>>> of courts.
>>>> 
>>>> IRFS head Emin Huseynov, Mehman Huseynov's older brother, links the
>>>> accusation against the latter with his profession. "It is the start of
>>>> the
>>>> post-Eurovision crackdown. It is revenge against the IRFS for actively
>>>> informing foreign journalists and international media on the eve of
>>>> Eurovision about many harassment cases in Azerbaijan. Besides, during
>>>> seven
>>>> years of work, we investigated many cases of pressure on journalists.
>>>> Now,
>>>> they want to punish us."
>>>> 
>>>> Before the song contest, Leyla Yunus, director of the Institute of Peace
>>>> and Democracy, had often warned of a serious backlash after the
>>>> Eurovision-fuelled tourist season died down. She believes Mehman Huseynov
>>>> is the first victim of that campaign.
>>>> 
>>>> "Mehman's work has been shared and discussed recently. Besides, he is
>>>> working for IRFS, which is critical of the government. By arresting him
>>>> they want to (blacklist) a good photo journalist and put pressure on his
>>>> brother Emin."
>>>> 
>>>> Various other activists were also brought into police stations this week.
>>>> 
>>>> Beyim Hasanli, a member of the opposition Popular Front Party's Youth
>>>> Committee was called in to the Sebayil district police station on Jun. 9.
>>>> 
>>>> She was asked how she got information about the May 21 protest action and
>>>> why she attended it. Hasanli was also asked if she ever noticed a media
>>>> representative being rude to the police.
>>>> Related IPS Articles
>>>> 
>>>>  - Sex and Censorship in
>>>> Azerbaijan<http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/05/sex-and-censorship-in-azerbaijan/>
>>>>  - Arab Spring at Azerbaijan's
>>>> Door<http://ipsnews.net/2011/04/arab-spring-at-azerbaijanrsquos-door>
>>>>  - Azerbaijan and Israel: The Enemy of My Enemy Is My
>>>> Friend<http://ipsnews.net/2012/02/azerbaijan-and-israel-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend>
>>>> 
>>>> "After that they showed me a video in which I was trying to help a woman
>>>> dragged by police. There were many journalists, including Mehman, who
>>>> tried
>>>> to film it but police would not let them do so. It also showed Mehman
>>>> (swearing) when he was not allowed to film."
>>>> 
>>>> After that Hasanli was asked to write a report on what she saw on video.
>>>> 
>>>> A week ago, her father was called in to the Absheron district Main Police
>>>> Office and asked to sign a statement promising to be responsible for his
>>>> daughter's activities.
>>>> 
>>>> Hasanli claims all this was done to intimidate and discourage her from
>>>> being an activist.
>>>> 
>>>> Natig Adilov, a journalist with the opposition Azadlig newspaper and
>>>> activist with the Popular Front Party, was called in to the Sabirabad
>>>> police station on Jun. 13, where he was "advised" to get involved in
>>>> better
>>>> activities than participating in protest rallies.
>>>> 
>>>> "They do it to scare people so that they stop their public activity. For
>>>> autocratic regimes like this, intimidation is very important to manage
>>>> their (stronghold). It is also related to me being very active during
>>>> Eurovision," said Adilov.
>>>> 
>>>> Ehsan Zahidov, spokesman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said the
>>>> recent slew of interrogations against activists and journalists has
>>>> nothing
>>>> to do with their activity during the Eurovision song contest or their
>>>> political background but pertained to them violating "rules".
>>>> 
>>>> "To advise people (on how to behave) is part of the job of police
>>>> officers. They do not care about the political activity of citizens.
>>>> Natig
>>>> Adilov was just advised not to violate public order. That is it," he told
>>>> IPS.
>>>> 
>>>> For Arzu Abdullayeva, human rights defender and co-chair of the Helsinki
>>>> Citizens Assembly, recent pressure on journalists is not limited to
>>>> Eurovision activity.
>>>> 
>>>> "Activists have always been a threat to the Azerbaijani government. By
>>>> (putting) pressure on activists, journalists, by arresting them, the
>>>> government (lets potential dissidents) know that they will have the same
>>>> future."
>>>> 
>>>> Human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights
>>>> Watch condemned the accusation against Huseynov.
>>>> 
>>>> The authorities should "drop the bogus charges against Huseynov and
>>>> ensure
>>>> that he can exercise his right to freedom of expression", Human Rights
>>>> Watch said in its recent report.
>>>> 
>>>> Amnesty International's statement mentions that Huseynov's arrest comes
>>>> amid a worrying rise in police harassment of young activists who
>>>> participated in protests around Eurovision.
>>>> 
>>>> According to Max Tucker, Amnesty International's Azerbaijan campaigner,
>>>> Mehman's arrest signals the start of the widely predicted government
>>>> crackdown on those they consider responsible for negative publicity
>>>> during
>>>> Eurovision.
>>>> 
>>>> (END)
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ____________________________________________________________
>>>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>>>>   governance at lists.igcaucus.org
>>>> To be removed from the list, visit:
>>>>   http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>>>> 
>>>> For all other list information and functions, see:
>>>>   http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
>>>> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>>>>   http://www.igcaucus.org/
>>>> 
>>>> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Media Education Center
>>> Yerevan, Armenia
>>> 
>>> www.mediaeducation.am <http://www.mediaeducation.am/>
>>> www.safe.am <http://www.safe.am/>
>>> www.immasin.am <http://www.immasin.am/>
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala
>> 
>> Tweeter: @SalanietaT
>> Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro
>> Cell: +679 998 2851
>> 
>> 
>> ____________________________________________________________
>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>>    governance at lists.igcaucus.org
>> To be removed from the list, visit:
>>    http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>> 
>> For all other list information and functions, see:
>>    http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
>> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>>    http://www.igcaucus.org/
>> 
>> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>> 
>> 
>> <message-footer.txt>
> ____________________________________________________________
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> To be removed from the list, visit:
>     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
> 
> For all other list information and functions, see:
>     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>     http://www.igcaucus.org/
> 
> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t

-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t