Azerbaijan Beaten, Blacklisted, HUMAN and Behind Bars RIGHTS WATCH The Vanishing Space for Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH HUMAN 350 Fifth Avenue, 34 th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 RIGHTS www.hrw.org WATCH Beaten, Blacklisted, and Behind Bars The Vanishing Space for Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan The government of Azerbaijan is engaged in concerted efforts to limit the space for freedom of expression in the country. Senior government officials frequently pursue criminal defamation and other cases against journalists and human rights defenders criticizing the government. Dozens of journalists have been prosecuted and imprisoned or fined. Police and sometimes unidentified assailants are able to physically attack journalists and human rights defenders with impunity, deliberately interfering with their efforts to investigate human rights abuses and other issues of public interest or in retaliation for their work. Recent legislative amendments restrict journalists’ ability to use video, photo or sound recording without the explicit consent of an individual even at public events. The government also banned all broadcasting of foreign radio stations on FM frequencies beginning in 2009. State antagonism toward independent and opposition media has been a serious problem in Azerbaijan for a number of years. Many journalists and editors regularly resort to self-censorship to avoid criminal prosecutions or other repercussions for critical reporting. Dozens of journalists have fled Azerbaijan in recent years fearing for their safety. These trends are particularly alarming given the upcoming November 7, 2010 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, as vibrant public discourse is crucial for a free and fair vote. The government of Azerbaijan should take immediate steps to abolish criminal penalties for defamation. They should conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations to end impunity for violence against journalists and human rights defenders. Azerbaijan’s international partners should use every opportunity to urge the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure respect for freedom of expression and to release imprisoned journalists. Baku, Azerbaijan: A plainclothes policeman detains an opposition activist demanding free speech. © July 3, 2010 Reuters Beaten, Blacklisted, and Behind Bars The Vanishing Space for Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan Copyright © 2010 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-703-5 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA Tel: +1 212 290 4700, Fax: +1 212 736 1300 [email protected] Poststraße 4-5 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 2593 06-10, Fax: +49 30 2593 0629 [email protected] Avenue des Gaulois, 7 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: + 32 (2) 732 2009, Fax: + 32 (2) 732 0471 [email protected] 64-66 Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 738 0481, Fax: +41 22 738 1791 [email protected] 2-12 Pentonville Road, 2nd Floor London N1 9HF, UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995, Fax: +44 20 7713 1800 [email protected] 27 Rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 (1)43 59 55 35, Fax: +33 (1) 43 59 55 22 [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: +1 202 612 4321, Fax: +1 202 612 4333 [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org October 2010 ISBN: 1-56432-703-5 Beaten, Blacklisted, and Behind Bars The Vanishing Space for Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan I. Summary & Key Recommendations ................................................................................. 1 II. Methodology .................................................................................................................. 5 III. Background ................................................................................................................... 7 Azerbaijan’s Political Landscape .............................................................................. 7 Media in Azerbaijan ................................................................................................ 8 Broadcast Media ...................................................................................................... 9 Print Media .............................................................................................................. 10 Online Media ........................................................................................................... 11 IV. Prosecution of Journalists and Human Rights Defenders .............................................. 13 Criminal and Civil Defamation Cases against Journalists, Human Rights Defenders, and Other Government Critics ................................................................................. 13 Relevant Laws of Azerbaijan .................................................................................... 14 Cases brought by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs ........................................ 16 Defamation Cases Brought by Other Officials .......................................................... 18 Other criminal cases brought against journalists .................................................... 21 Criminal defamation and other charges against Eynulla Fatullayev .......................... 21 Criminal prosecution and death in custody of Novruzali Mammadov ...................... 24 Fabricated hooliganism cases against journalists .................................................... 25 Freedom of Expression and Criminal Defamation in International Law ..................... 28 International Standards on Criminal Defamation .................................................... 30 Alternatives to Criminal defamation ......................................................................... 35 V. Violence against Journalists ......................................................................................... 37 Violence against Journalists and Lack of Effective Investigations............................. 37 Attack on Afgan Mukhtarli ...................................................................................... 38 Attack on journalists outside Sabail District Police Station No. 22 .......................... 39 Ill-treatment of Idrak Abassov ................................................................................. 40 Stabbing of Agil Khalil ............................................................................................. 41 Detention and ill-treatment of Emin Huseynov ........................................................ 42 Detention and ill-treatment of Seymur Haziev ......................................................... 43 Attack on Elmin Badalov ......................................................................................... 44 Chilling Effects ....................................................................................................... 45 VI. Legislative and Other Restrictions on Freedom of the Media ........................................ 48 Constitutional Amendments Restricting Freedom of Information ............................. 48 The negative effects of the amendments ................................................................ 49 Ban on Foreign Broadcasting .................................................................................. 50 The Press Council and the Black List of Newspapers ............................................... 51 The “Black List” and its impact ................................................................................ 53 VII. International Responses to Azerbaijan’s Repression of Free Expression ..................... 56 Council of Europe (CoE) .......................................................................................... 56 Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) .................................. 58 European Union (EU) ............................................................................................. 60 United States (U.S.) ............................................................................................... 62 VIII. Extended Recommendations ..................................................................................... 64 To the Azerbaijani President and Government: ........................................................ 64 To the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Prosecutor General’s Office: .......................... 65 To the Azerbaijani Parliament: ............................................................................... 66 To the Azerbaijani Judiciary: .................................................................................. 66 To the National Television and Radio Council: ........................................................ 66 To the Press Council of Azerbaijan: ......................................................................... 67 To the Governments of the United States, European Union, and other bilateral partners: .................................................................................................. 67 To the European Union: .......................................................................................... 67 To the Council of Europe: ...................................................................................... 68 To the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe: ................................. 68 To the United Nations: .......................................................................................... 69 IX. Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................