1 Human Rights House Network The Human Rights House Network is a community of human rights defenders working for more than 100 independent organisations operating in 16 Human Rights Houses in 13 countries. Empowering, supporting, and protecting human rights defenders, the Network members unite their voices to promote the universal freedoms of assembly, organisation, and expression, and the right to be a human rights defender. The Secretariat (HRHF) – based in Oslo, Geneva, and Brussels – stewards the community, raising awareness internationally, raising concerns at the UN, EU, and international institutions, and coordinating best use and sharing of the knowledge, expertise, influence, and resources within the Network. Contact person for the report Anna Innocenti International Advocacy Officer Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) Email:
[email protected] Tel: +4122 33 22 556 Geneva office Rue de Varembé 1 (5th floor), PO Box 35, 1211 Geneva 20 (Switzerland) Oslo office Menneskerettighetshuset Kirkegata 5, 0153 Oslo (Norway) Brussels office Rue de Trèves 45, 1040 Brussels (Belgium) 2 For human rights defenders in Azerbaijan In 2009, members and partners of the Human Rights House Azerbaijan submitted an NGO report and contributed to the review of Azerbaijan at the Committee on Civil and Political Rights. Rasul Jafarov was one of them, working at the time with the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety. He was inspired by the work of the Committee to further the defence of human rights in Azerbaijan. Today, Rasul Jafarov is one of the detained human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. In 2011, the Human Rights House Azerbaijan was ordered to cease all activities.