This briefing paper was prepared by International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC) and the Human Rights Club (HRC). It provides an overview of current key issues with respect to freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and the media, the protection of the legal profession, as well as the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Azerbaijan. The briefing paper was finalized on 12 February 2020.
International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) is an independent, non-governmental organization founded in 2008. Based in Brussels, IPHR works closely together with civil society groups from different countries to raise human rights concerns at the international level and promote respect for the rights of vulnerable communities in repressive environments.
The European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC) is an apolitical legal NGO housed within Middlesex University Law School which advances the protection of human rights in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Working with more than 16 local partners EHRAC uses a unique method of joint litigation to bring strategic cases to the European Court of Human Rights and other international bodies to challenge impunity for human rights violations and build the capacity of their partners to seek justice from international bodies. EHRAC’s method of joint litigation creates a unique and in-depth mentoring experience for partner lawyers as they are supported to explore new legal arguments and address violations of the European Convention on Human Rights which they may not have litigated before. EHRAC also carries out bespoke in-country training, study visits to Strasbourg and regional seminars. EHRAC’s expertise and partnerships in the target region, along with their extensive experience litigating cases at the European Court of Human Rights and other international bodies, puts them in a unique position to impact human rights in the region and strengthen the ability of local civil society to do the same. Each judgment EHRAC secures contributes to an objective account of human rights abuse that cannot be refuted.
Human Rights Club (HRC) was founded on Human Rights Day (10 December) in 2010 by a group of young Azerbaijani human rights defenders. The main aim of the HRC is to promote protection of and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and broader democratic development in Azerbaijan. The HRC monitors human rights developments in the country, conducts investigations into reports of violations, campaigns on cases of concern, and engages in advocacy on the national, regional, and international level. The HRC’s main target groups are youth, human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers, and civic and political activists, as well as other individuals whose rights are infringed. The HRC draws attention to problems in the field of human rights among the local and international community via various campaigns. Sing for Democracy, the Online Expression Initiative, Art for Democracy, and the Working Group on the Unified List of Political Prisoners are among these activities.
To read the full report, please, click here.
