HILAL MAMMADOV`S APPEAL TO BE REVIEWED, HELSINKI COMMISSION AZERBAIJAN IS NOT MOVING IN THE RIGHT D

Human rights defender, director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy Leyla Yunus held a press conference at the office of the organization in connection with country's inept human rights protection system. Leyla Yunus proclaimed a new advocacy strategy for human rights protection system - "not bowing to the government". Moreover, head of the IPD announced establishment of a center of resistance to repression with an aim of taking real steps in this field. She called on the former political prisoners and family members of political prisoners to join the center. Leyla Yunus made clear the reasons of setting up the Center. She stated that law enforcement agencies and judiciary are not independent and investigations are falsified in the country. On June 9, the Nasimi District Court, under the chairmanship Shalala Hasanova heard journalist Rauf Mirkadirov's complaint over denial of access to notary. The arrested journalist wanted to sign a power of attorney for Turkish lawyers to protect his rights in Turkey. According to the journalist's lawyer Elmar Suleymanov, the court rejected the appeal. Defense also filed a motion for trying Mirkadirov in absentia, which was dismissed by the court. Note that Rauf Mirkadirov, correspondent of Baku-based Zerkalo newspaper, was arrested by MNS employees on April 19 after being deported to Baku from Turkish capital city Ankara where he had been living since 2010. He is charged under Article 274 (treason) of the Criminal Code. Nasimi district court has ordered him to serve 3 months of pretrial detention. On June 10, a group of ex-deputies held a press conference at the Media Center of the IRFS due to the discrimination against deputies who signed the October 18, 1991 Act of Independence of Azerbaijan. Ex-deputy Hajibaba Azimov believes that there is threat to the independence of Azerbaijan, and as a source of this he pointed to the pro-Russian officials of the authority. In his view, these people are against those who back independence, statehood and freedom. He added that in all countries, except Azerbaijan, Independence Day is a day off. He blamed Deputy Hadi Rajabli for excluding State Independence Day from holiday list. He further blamed Safa Mirzayev, the Chief of Staff of the Milli Majlis for denying state pensions to deputies who participated in the Act of Independence. The US Congressional Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, on June 11, strongly urged the Azerbaijani government to fulfill its obligations on human rights and democracy, instead of heading further towards authoritarianism. "We consider Azerbaijan an important friend and partner in the region and that means we care deeply about its development", said chairman of the Commission Senator Benjamin Cardin. Along with problems on freedom of media and association, last two years have marked high number of arrests and convictions of activists, harassment on politically motivated charges and announcement of verdicts. "Our concern is that rather than working to live up to its commitments in the OSCE and the CoE, Azerbaijan is instead heading towards greater authoritarianism. We want to work with Azerbaijan to change this trend," he added. The hearings in Helsinki Commission is important because the representative staff of the Congress is getting ready to the bilateral meetings and the session of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Melia, who was refused to enter Azerbaijan, last September underlined the importance of dialogue on democracy between two countries. He added that the best way to guarantee the stability is to respect strengthening of democratic processes and institutions, rule of law and fundamental freedoms. According to Melia, situation in Azerbaijan on freedoms of citizens has deteriorated in last 5 years and continues worsening. Speaker Miriam Lanskoy, director for Russia and Eurasia, National Endowment for Democracy noted that Azerbaijan was about to host the OSCE PA at the end of June. Despite participation in these international forums, over the last decade freedoms in Azerbaijan have declined substantially. Overall, the country has gone from semi-free to state of consolidated authoritarianism.