I received a message via Facebook today with the following information:
Yesterday more than 50 NGO representatives demonstrated in front of the national parliament building to protest changes legislation restricting independent NGOs. . Baku city officials didn't give permission for the picketing, but it was held anyway. The protestors were not able to get into the parliament building, but Gubad Ibadoglu, a prominent dissident economist, was somehow able to enter and present this statement from the Civil Society Defense Committee.
Baku city 19 June 2009
We, the non-governmental organizations united in the Civil Society Defense Committee, condemn the proposed changes and additions to Azerbaijan Republic Law Non-governmental Organizations (Public Unions and Foundations) and strongly object to their adoption!
We declare that these amendments directly contradict Azerbaijan's professed political course, these changes, the Constitution and Azerbaijan's international commitments, and restrict significantly the fundamental human rights of freedom of association and expression!
We consider that these changes and amendments are intended to create serious restrictions for the establishment and work of non-governmental organizations and are a severe blow to the civil society!
Taking all of these things into consideration, and believing that the changes will be damaging to the international image of the government, we say NO to these changes and amendments and call on parliamentarians NOT TO VOTE them!
We declare that if the proposed changes and amendments are approved, we will use all legal and civil means to abolish them!
Trend News reported the existence of the picketing - very briefly:
Azerbaijan, Baku, June 19 / Trend News A. Huseynbala /
Azerbaijani NGOs failed to hold unauthorized piquet in front of building of the Parliament.
Police did not allow participants of the action coming closer building of the parliament, Trend News correspondent reported from the place of incident. Participants of the action protest against additions and changes in law bill NGOs.
Despite the action failed, economic research center chairman Gubad Ibadoglu was allowed submitting statement of members of protest to the Parliament.
Law bill on changes and additions to law bill NGOs was added in agenda of meeting of the Azerbaijani parliament on June 19.
They envisage limitations on cooperation of local NGOs with foreign ones.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Turtle Visitor
This turtle and I communed for awhile after he crawled to my front door. He wasn't interested in the lettuce and apple that I offered. After filming him, I moved him from my porch to more suitable habitat.
An appeal to step back from the brink
The Civil Society Defense Committee of Azerbaijan has posted an impassioned open letter to the Council of Europe, the Azerbaijan Republic Milli Mejlis, and the President. It's a well-reasoned appeal for the government to step back from its proposed repressive regulations on civil society organizations. If the changes are enacted, the group argues, then Azerbaijan will have reneged on the terms of its membership in organizations like the Council of Europe.
These are all valid points, but I think the rulers of Azerbaijan reason that Europe and the USA need Azerbaijan more than Azerbaijan needs the West. After all, the Russians would be quite happy work more closely with Azerbaijan in the sphere of energy production and transportation. And Russia won't raise any troublesome concerns about human rights or civil society.
Reprinted here is the note from Civil Society Defense Committee of Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan 12 June 2009
On 9 June 2009 the in the Milli Mejlis Committee on Legal Policy and State Service a bill including a number of changes and additions to legislation related to the activities of civil society was approved. According to information regarding this, the bill to change and add to the Law on Non-governmental Organizations (Public Unions and Foundations) and other legislative acts will be put up for discussion in an extraordinary session of the on Milli Mejlis on 19 June.
The Civil Society Defense Committee (CSDC) is against conducting any sort of discussion about the proposed changes and additions because such discussions would politically legitimize the entire proposed legislative packet. From this perspective to achieve the complete removal of this document from the agenda and work plan of the Milli Mejlis, we were able to create on 11 June 2009 the Civil Society Defense Committee, composed of NGOs working in various spheres.
The NGOs joined together in the CSDC believe that proposed changes and additions contradict realization of the right to freedom of association envisaged in the country’s Constitution, conventions on human rights that our country is party to, obligations undertaken before the Council of Europe and OSCE, the entire philosophy of civil society and the goal of the “Non-governmental Organizations State Support Concept” signed by President Ilham Aliyev on 17 Jule 2007.
In the last 18 years, civil society brought to Azerbaijan one hundred million manat in resources and these resources have helped to defend human rights, government transparency, business freedom, freedom of expression and independence in other spheres and assisted in the creation of 10 thousand jobs and development of a skilled group of workers. As a result of work conducted in the past by NGOs thousands of people have had their health restored and their skill-levels increased, improving the quality of their lives. Civil society continues its tireless work to promote Azerbaijan’s fair position on the Nagorno-Garabagh conflict in the international community. Unfortunately the proposed bill will be a blow to all of these achievements.
Taking into consideration the fact that the packet of proposed changes and additions is in complete contradiction with Azerbaijan’s obligations before the Council of Europe, we request that Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Ago Group (Monitoring Committee) start taking the necessary steps now to freeze the mandate of Azerbaijan’s delegation in the forthcoming 22 June summer session. We also request that this issue be brought up before the Venice Commission. In the event that the proposed changes and additions are approved, then this process will meet its logical end.
We believe that these changes and additions contradict the obligations regarding freedom of association undertaken by Azerbaijan within the framework of the OSCE and UN, and that the approval of such a document could, through limiting the activities of NGOs, damage the foundations of political stability in the country. At the same time, if these changes and additions are approved, Azerbaijani civil society will in fact not be able to participate in the European Union Eastern Partnership and European Neighborhood Policy programs
The Civil Society Defense Committee (CSDC) will prepare analysis of the concrete content of the current proposed changes by June 18, conduct a roundtable discussion on this issue on 18 June, and conduct a picket in front of the Milli Mjelis. CSDC is willing to discuss the problems that have arisen as a result of the proposed packet of changes with any government official, including the President and Milli Mejlis.
CSDC calls for the country’s citizens and the international community to defend the increasingly narrow sphere of freedom. There is only one name for extreme government regulation and that is totalitarianism. We call for everyone to raise their voices to prevent our country from once again be ruined by the abyss of totalitarianism.
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(I was going to post a link to the Civil Society Defense Committee of Azerbaijan, but on trying to navigate to its site, I get a message that the site is infected with "malware" and that "visiting this site may harm your computer." So - investigate the sites at your own risk! A little sabotage conducted by government-paid hackers?)
These are all valid points, but I think the rulers of Azerbaijan reason that Europe and the USA need Azerbaijan more than Azerbaijan needs the West. After all, the Russians would be quite happy work more closely with Azerbaijan in the sphere of energy production and transportation. And Russia won't raise any troublesome concerns about human rights or civil society.
Reprinted here is the note from Civil Society Defense Committee of Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan 12 June 2009
On 9 June 2009 the in the Milli Mejlis Committee on Legal Policy and State Service a bill including a number of changes and additions to legislation related to the activities of civil society was approved. According to information regarding this, the bill to change and add to the Law on Non-governmental Organizations (Public Unions and Foundations) and other legislative acts will be put up for discussion in an extraordinary session of the on Milli Mejlis on 19 June.
The Civil Society Defense Committee (CSDC) is against conducting any sort of discussion about the proposed changes and additions because such discussions would politically legitimize the entire proposed legislative packet. From this perspective to achieve the complete removal of this document from the agenda and work plan of the Milli Mejlis, we were able to create on 11 June 2009 the Civil Society Defense Committee, composed of NGOs working in various spheres.
The NGOs joined together in the CSDC believe that proposed changes and additions contradict realization of the right to freedom of association envisaged in the country’s Constitution, conventions on human rights that our country is party to, obligations undertaken before the Council of Europe and OSCE, the entire philosophy of civil society and the goal of the “Non-governmental Organizations State Support Concept” signed by President Ilham Aliyev on 17 Jule 2007.
In the last 18 years, civil society brought to Azerbaijan one hundred million manat in resources and these resources have helped to defend human rights, government transparency, business freedom, freedom of expression and independence in other spheres and assisted in the creation of 10 thousand jobs and development of a skilled group of workers. As a result of work conducted in the past by NGOs thousands of people have had their health restored and their skill-levels increased, improving the quality of their lives. Civil society continues its tireless work to promote Azerbaijan’s fair position on the Nagorno-Garabagh conflict in the international community. Unfortunately the proposed bill will be a blow to all of these achievements.
Taking into consideration the fact that the packet of proposed changes and additions is in complete contradiction with Azerbaijan’s obligations before the Council of Europe, we request that Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Ago Group (Monitoring Committee) start taking the necessary steps now to freeze the mandate of Azerbaijan’s delegation in the forthcoming 22 June summer session. We also request that this issue be brought up before the Venice Commission. In the event that the proposed changes and additions are approved, then this process will meet its logical end.
We believe that these changes and additions contradict the obligations regarding freedom of association undertaken by Azerbaijan within the framework of the OSCE and UN, and that the approval of such a document could, through limiting the activities of NGOs, damage the foundations of political stability in the country. At the same time, if these changes and additions are approved, Azerbaijani civil society will in fact not be able to participate in the European Union Eastern Partnership and European Neighborhood Policy programs
The Civil Society Defense Committee (CSDC) will prepare analysis of the concrete content of the current proposed changes by June 18, conduct a roundtable discussion on this issue on 18 June, and conduct a picket in front of the Milli Mjelis. CSDC is willing to discuss the problems that have arisen as a result of the proposed packet of changes with any government official, including the President and Milli Mejlis.
CSDC calls for the country’s citizens and the international community to defend the increasingly narrow sphere of freedom. There is only one name for extreme government regulation and that is totalitarianism. We call for everyone to raise their voices to prevent our country from once again be ruined by the abyss of totalitarianism.
--------------------
(I was going to post a link to the Civil Society Defense Committee of Azerbaijan, but on trying to navigate to its site, I get a message that the site is infected with "malware" and that "visiting this site may harm your computer." So - investigate the sites at your own risk! A little sabotage conducted by government-paid hackers?)
Spy trial starts next week
The trial of Ali Karaki and Ali Najmeddin is supposed to begin June 24 in Baku, according to Intelligence Online, a newsletter based in Paris. The two alleged Lebanese Hezbollah agents were arrested as a result of a joint effort by the CIA in Azerbaijan, the Turkish intelligence agency Milli Istihbarat Teskilat, and Israel's spy agency Mossad, according to IO.
The report from IO says the arrests of Hezbollah members in Azerbaijan is just the one of a string of set-backs suffered by the group, which is deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
I couldn't find any news of the trial in the local press of Azerbaijan, but this isn't surprising. In fact, the trial very well may not occur. Often diplomatic deals obviate the need for spy trials.
That's not to say that the legal system in Azerbaijan has been quiet lately.
According to Trend News, a news agency closely connected to the government, a criminal prosecutor today called for the imprisonment of Mahal Ismayiloglu, former editor of Khalq Qazeti. He's also written articles for the New Musavat newspaper. The prosecutor is calling for a prison term of 3 1/2 years. The charge supposedly has nothing to do with his journalism. The criminal case is based on the complaints of Nasiba Nurush, Ismayiloglu's housekeeper. She charges that her former employer put physical pressure on her and insulted her.
And yesterday a court sentenced members of a radical religious group to prison terms ranging from two to 15 years for their role in planned attacks on the U.S. and British Embassies in Azerbaijan two years ago.
The report from IO says the arrests of Hezbollah members in Azerbaijan is just the one of a string of set-backs suffered by the group, which is deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
I couldn't find any news of the trial in the local press of Azerbaijan, but this isn't surprising. In fact, the trial very well may not occur. Often diplomatic deals obviate the need for spy trials.
That's not to say that the legal system in Azerbaijan has been quiet lately.
According to Trend News, a news agency closely connected to the government, a criminal prosecutor today called for the imprisonment of Mahal Ismayiloglu, former editor of Khalq Qazeti. He's also written articles for the New Musavat newspaper. The prosecutor is calling for a prison term of 3 1/2 years. The charge supposedly has nothing to do with his journalism. The criminal case is based on the complaints of Nasiba Nurush, Ismayiloglu's housekeeper. She charges that her former employer put physical pressure on her and insulted her.
And yesterday a court sentenced members of a radical religious group to prison terms ranging from two to 15 years for their role in planned attacks on the U.S. and British Embassies in Azerbaijan two years ago.
The long history of "bullying"
Interesting editorial in the New York Times today, regarding Russia's "bullying" in the Caucuses as if this were a new phenomenon. The NYT terms the Kremlin's approach "petty" but really it's the same approach that has been followed by Russia for centuries. The Treaty of Georgievsk, which made Kartli-Kakheti a protectorate of Russia, was signed in 1783, for example. (We'll disregard for the moment that Russia soon failed to fulfill the terms of the agreement, which called for the Russians to defend the Georgians.) In Azerbaijan, of course, the Russian involvement was formalized by the Treaty of Gulistan, in which Persia ceded much of Azerbaijan, Eastern Georgia, and Dagestan to the Russian Empire.
So, while the New York Times certainly can call the Russia's approach "bullying," any other approach would be quite remarkable.
So, while the New York Times certainly can call the Russia's approach "bullying," any other approach would be quite remarkable.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Do American conservatives prefer radical Islamic leaders?
Today I read an amusing analysis of the political turmoil in Iran. Written by George Friedman, a conservative political scientist. The piece disparages allegations of vote fraud, and all but announces that Ahmadinejad must have won the election, because fraud would have been to difficult to arrange. Written before the street protests that followed in the days after the vote, Friedman almost seemed eager to maintain the status quo in Iran. It's an interesting perspective. I wonder if the existence of such a radical leader in Iran is quite useful to certain conservatives. With his extreme statements about the Holocaust, for example, Ahmadinejad is a perfect example of the "crazy Islamic leader," against whom all sorts of force is justified. Dealing with a more moderate Muslim leader might actually be more difficult intellectually for some conservatives.
Iran's unrest could have regional impact
The news from Iran is exciting for anyone interested in the progress of democratization. Democracy is unpredictable - and so I don't think anyone really knows what will happen exactly. A cynic might predict that the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will crush the people - and that will be that. Perhaps. But the populace in Iran has showed before that it cannot be disregarded. Ironic that the president, who was a student leader during the 1979 revolution, should now be challenged by a popular uprising against his rule.
A friend of mine in Azerbaijan notes that Mir Hossein Mousavi is ethnically an Azerbaijani Turk, and frequently spoke Azeri during demonstrations. Yet the election results for the city of Tabriz, an ethnically Azeri city, showed Ahmadinejad winning a decisive victory there. Something doesn't add up.
Interesting that the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, both of whom fear democratic aspirations in their own countries, were quick to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his victory. While quantifying the impact of democratization is probably impossible, political scientists have long theorized about the effect of having democratic neighbors. What does it mean for other area strongmen if a popular uprising shakes the political leadership of Iran?
A friend of mine in Azerbaijan notes that Mir Hossein Mousavi is ethnically an Azerbaijani Turk, and frequently spoke Azeri during demonstrations. Yet the election results for the city of Tabriz, an ethnically Azeri city, showed Ahmadinejad winning a decisive victory there. Something doesn't add up.
Interesting that the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, both of whom fear democratic aspirations in their own countries, were quick to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his victory. While quantifying the impact of democratization is probably impossible, political scientists have long theorized about the effect of having democratic neighbors. What does it mean for other area strongmen if a popular uprising shakes the political leadership of Iran?
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