թՉթԹ՞թԹէ-թԹ, թԹԲթԹ❁թՉ-թԹ)թԹԴթՉ թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԷթԹԴթՉթԹԳթՉթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹԴթԹ-թԹԴթՉ-թԹէթԹ, թԻթԹԴթՉ-թԹ՞թԹ❁թԹ։թԹ(թԹէթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹԳ թԹ՞թԹ)թՉ-թԹ§թԹ(թԹեթԹ❁թԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹբթԹ❁թԹԳթԹ❁թԹ-թԹ,թՉ թԹԳթԹ❁թԹ՟թԹ❁թԹ։թԹ❁թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹԳ թԹ—թԹԳթԹէթՉ-թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ,թԹԳ թԹ—թԹԳթԹ)թԹ❁թԹԶթԹ❁թԹե թԹ՜թԹԴթԹդ թԹ(թԹԳ թԹ❁թԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹ(թՉ-թԹ՜թՉ-թԹ, թԹ,թԹգթԹ՟թԹ❁թԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ,թԹԳ թԹ❁թԹեթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹթԹ(թԹ- թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ❁թԹԵթԹ❁թԹգթԹէթԹԵթԹ❁թԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թՉ❁ թՉթԹ❁թԹԱթԹ❁թՉթԹ❁թԹթԹ,թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹԳ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹզթԹ❁թՉ-թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹ❁թԹԳ թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹ»թԹԲթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ(թՉ-թԹԵթԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹ❁թԹգթԹ՟թԹ❁թԹէթԹ❁թԹԳթՉթԹ,թԹԳթՉ՛
թԹեթԹԳթԹդթԹԵթԹ(թԹզ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹբթԹէթԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹ« թԹ՞թժ թԹ՞ թԹ։թԹԴթՉ-թԹ…թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹ-թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹ—թԹ թՉթԹ՞թԹէ-թԹ, թԹԲթԹ❁թԹԲթԹԴթՉթԹ-թԹ, թԹ…թԹ❁թԹԶթԹ❁թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹ❁թԹԳթԹ— թԹ՛թԹԱթԹԴթՉթԹԲթԹԴթԹԷ, թԹԳթՉ-թԹ❁թԹԳթԹ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԲթԹ❁թԹէթԹ(թԹԱ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹբթԹէթԹ❁թՉ-թԹ❁թՉ-թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹ❁թԹԳ թԹԲթԹ(թԹե թԹԲթԹէթԹ❁թԹ՛թԹԴթԹ։թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳ թԹ« թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹբթԹէթԹԳթԹԷթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹ❁թԹԶ թԹ❁թԹբթԹԳ, թԹԴթՉ- թԹ(թՉ-թԹ՜թՉ-թԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹզթԹէթԹ(թԹԱթԹ…թԹԷթԹ❁թԹ… թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ,թԹաթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ— թԹ)թԹ՝թԹԷթԹ❁թՉ-թԹ❁թԹթԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թՉ❁ թԹզթԹ❁թԹ՛թԹԲթԹ❁թԹԳթԹ❁թԻթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹ« թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ❁թԹԵթԹ❁թԹգթԹէթԹԵթԹ❁թԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թՉ❁ թՉթԹ❁թԹԱթԹ❁թՉթԹ❁թԹթԹ,թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹԳ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹզթԹ❁թՉ-թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹ❁թԹԳ թԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹբթԹ❁թԹթԹԴթՉթԹթԹ,թԹդթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹ❁թԹգթԹ՟թԹ❁թԹէթԹ❁թԹԳթՉթԹ—թՉ՛
թՉթԹ՞թԹէ-թԹ, թԻթԹԴթՉ-թԹ՞թԹ❁թԹ։թԹ(թԹէթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ— թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹբթԹէթԹ❁թՉ-թԹ❁թՉ-թԹ(թԹ- թԹ(թԹԳ, թԹԴթՉ- 2012-թԹ,թԹԳ թԹ—թԹԳթԹ)թԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԷթԹ❁թԹ… թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ❁թՉթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹ❁թԹ»թԹ❁թԹէթԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹ❁թԹԳ թԹԲթԹ❁թԹզթԹ,թԹԳ թՉ»թՉ-թԹ(թԹԳթՉթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԻթԹԴթԻթԹԴթԹ՟թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ— թԹ՟թԹզթԹէթԹ❁թԹթՉ-թԹ(թԹ- թԹ(թԹԳ թԹ՟թԹ❁թԹԱթԹ❁թԹԱ թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹթԹ,թԹ❁թԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԷթԹԴթՉթԹԳթՉթԹ, թԹ։թԹԴթԹբթԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳ թԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹ(թԹթԹԴթԹԱ թԹզթԹ❁թԹ՛թԹԲթԹ❁թԹԳթԹ❁թԻթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹԴթՉթԹԲթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ—, թԹ❁թԹբթԹ) թԹ.թԹԷթԹԴթՉթԹԲթԹ թԹ)թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԳթԹ թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹ»թԹԲթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ(թՉ-թԹԵթԹ,թԹդթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹԳթԹ՜թԹ❁թԹէթԹԲթԹ❁թԹԲթԹ§ թԹԵթԹ❁թԹէթԹ,թԹ՝թԹ—թՉ՛
թՉթԹ՞թԹէ-թԹ, թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ❁թԹԵթԹ❁թԹգթԹէթԹԵթԹ❁թԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹ՜թԹ❁թՉ-թԹ…թԹ,թՉթԹԴթԹԷթԹ թԹ❁թԹԳթԹ՛թՉ-թԹ❁թԹ՝թԹ(թԹգթԹէ թԹ« թԹ.թԹԴթՉթԹբթԹ- թԹէթԹ❁թԹ- թԹԲթԹ,թԹեթԹ❁թԹ»թԹ։թԹ❁թԹբթԹ,թԹԳ թԹԳթԹԴթՉ-թԹԲթԹ(թՉ-թԹ,թԹԳ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԲթԹ❁թԹԵթԹ❁թԹէթԹ❁թԹզթԹ՟թԹ❁թԹԳթԹԴթԹԱ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԳթՉ-թԹ❁թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ❁թՉթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹ❁թԹԳթԹթԹ՜թԹ❁թԹթԹԴթՉթԹԲթԹ—, թԹ,թԹզթԹ՜ թԹ)թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԳթԹ թԹԲթԹ❁թԹզթԹԳթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ,թԹթԹԳթԹ(թՉ-թԹ, թԹԳթԹ՜թԹ❁թԹէթԹԲթԹ❁թԹԲթԹ§ թԹդթԹԵթԹ(թԹէթՉ թԹ« թԹԴթՉթԹ՝ թԹ՜թԹ,թՉ-թԹ❁թԹԶթԹԷթԹ, թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹԲ թԹ՞թԹ(թՉ-թԹ§թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹ-թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ- թԹ-թԹ,թԹԳթԹ(թԹԳթՉ՛
թԹ
թԹ՞թԹ)թՉ-թԹ§թԹ(թԹեթԹ❁թԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹԳթԹ❁թԹ՟թԹ❁թԹ։թԹ❁թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹԳ թԹ—թԹԳթԹէթՉ-թԹԴթՉթԹ.թԹբթԹԴթՉթԹԳթԹԳթԹ(թՉ- թԹ՜թԹ❁թԹԳթԹթԹ՜թԹ❁թԹթԹԷթԹ(թԹԳ թԹ՛թԹԴթԹ՜թԹէթԹ(թԹԲթԹ§թԹ(թՉ-թԹ, 9-թԹ,թԹԳ, թԹ❁թԹբթԹ) թԹԵթԹ❁թԹգթԹէթԹԴթԹԳթԹ,թԹԳ թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԷթԹ❁թԹ՜թԹԳթԹԴթՉթԹԲ թԹ« թԹԳթԹ❁թՉ❁ թԹ։թԹԴթՉ-թԹ…թԹԴթԹԱ թԹԳթԹ❁թԹ՟թԹ❁թԹ։թԹ❁թԹ՛ թԹեթԹ-թԹ՛թԹ❁թԹԲ թԹ՞թԹ-թԹ,թՉ❁թԹ—թՉ՛
UN experts concerned by human rights situation in Azerbaijan
Voicing deep concern at tightened restrictions on the right of assembly in Azerbaijan and the harassment of journalists, three independent United Nations experts have called on the Azerbaijani Government to facilitate the work of human rights defenders and civil society organizations in the run up to next Wednesdayթ§Չ-Չ§s presidential elections.
թ§Չ-ժWe have observed since 2011 a worrying trend of legislation which has narrowed considerably the space in which civil society and defenders operate in Azerbaijan,թ§Չ-Թ they said in a joint news release in Geneva. թ§Չ-ժWe are very concerned about the challenging and restrictive environment which defenders and civil society currently face in the country.թ§Չ-Թ
The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, Maina Kiai, stressed that all demonstrations complying with international human rights standards should be allowed and peaceful gatherings should not face the use of excessive force and administrative detention against demonstrators, even if such assemblies are not authorized.
թ§Չ-ժIn times of elections, States should make greater efforts to facilitate and protect the exercise of the core rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association,թ§Չ-Թ he said. թ§Չ-ժAmendments to the law on Freedom of Assembly adopted in 2012 have tightened the existing restrictions to the right to assemble peacefully, including by increasing penalties for those organizing rallies.թ§Չ-Թ
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, noted that the right to assemble peacefully is a powerful tool for human rights defenders and civil society to freely express opinions and claim rights and freedoms.
թ§Չ-ժAny undue limitations to these rights are always detrimental to their valuable work and to society in general, particularly in the context of elections,թ§Չ-Թ she said. թ§Չ-ժCivil society and human rights defenders play a fundamental role in the context of elections as they are key actors in monitoring and ensuring the smooth exercise of basic public freedoms.թ§Չ-Թ
The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, expressed particular alarm about cases of intimidation and harassment of journalists, including by unwarranted judicial proceedings, and urged the Government to consider the implementation of its 2012 National Action Plan commitment to decriminalize defamation.
թ§Չ-ժThe mere threat of arrest or of excessive damages claims in civil defamation cases has a chilling effect on the right to freedom of expression in a society,թ§Չ-Թ he said. թ§Չ-ժI am also concerned about a recent amendment to relevant legislation extending defamation provisions to online expression.թ§Չ-Թ
The special rapporteurs, who serve in an unpaid capacity, are appointed by and report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, warned that recent changes to the 2013 law on grants could seriously deter the work of human rights organizations by imposing unreasonable fines and liability on organizations for operating outside formal grant agreements and not notifying the receipt of grants within the established period.
They said, however, that they appreciated the engagement of the authorities when they have raised these issues over the past few months, and reiterated their availability to provide further assistance and technical advice on legislation and other measures affecting the work of civil society and right defenders in the country.
Voicing deep concern at tightened restrictions on the right of assembly in Azerbaijan and the harassment of journalists, three independent United Nations experts today called on the Government to facilitate the work of human rights defenders and civil society organizations in the run up to next Wednesdayթ§Չ-Չ§s presidential elections.
թ§Չ-ժWe have observed since 2011 a worrying trend of legislation which has narrowed considerably the space in which civil society and defenders operate in Azerbaijan,թ§Չ-Թ they said in a joint news release in Geneva. թ§Չ-ժWe are very concerned about the challenging and restrictive environment which defenders and civil society currently face in the country.թ§Չ-Թ
The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, Maina Kiai, stressed that all demonstrations complying with international human rights standards should be allowed and peaceful gatherings should not face the use of excessive force and administrative detention against demonstrators, even if such assemblies are not authorized.
թ§Չ-ժIn times of elections, States should make greater efforts to facilitate and protect the exercise of the core rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association,թ§Չ-Թ he said. թ§Չ-ժAmendments to the law on Freedom of Assembly adopted in 2012 have tightened the existing restrictions to the right to assemble peacefully, including by increasing penalties for those organizing rallies.թ§Չ-Թ
թԹ
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, noted that the right to assemble peacefully is a powerful tool for human rights defenders and civil society to freely express opinions and claim rights and freedoms.
թ§Չ-ժAny undue limitations to these rights are always detrimental to their valuable work and to society in general, particularly in the context of elections,թ§Չ-Թ she said. թ§Չ-ժCivil society and human rights defenders play a fundamental role in the context of elections as they are key actors in monitoring and ensuring the smooth exercise of basic public freedoms.թ§Չ-Թ
The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, expressed particular alarm about cases of intimidation and harassment of journalists, including by unwarranted judicial proceedings, and urged the Government to consider the implementation of its 2012 National Action Plan commitment to decriminalize defamation.
թ§Չ-ժThe mere threat of arrest or of excessive damages claims in civil defamation cases has a chilling effect on the right to freedom of expression in a society,թ§Չ-Թ he said. թ§Չ-ժI am also concerned about a recent amendment to relevant legislation extending defamation provisions to online expression.թ§Չ-Թ
The special rapporteurs, who serve in an unpaid capacity, are appointed by and report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, warned that recent changes to the 2013 law on grants could seriously deter the work of human rights organizations by imposing unreasonable fines and liability on organizations for operating outside formal grant agreements and not notifying the receipt of grants within the established period.
They said, however, that they appreciated the engagement of the authorities when they have raised these issues over the past few months, and reiterated their availability to provide further assistance and technical advice on legislation and other measures affecting the work of civil society and right defenders in the country.
թԹ
Armenian News – Tert.am
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