«Index on Censorship» called on the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to stop attacks on journalists and freedom of speech

The government of Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev's believed that music competition "Eurovision", to which the organization spent about $ 750 million, will be an excellent opportunity to retouch the poor state of human rights in the country. However, due to the activities of organizations «Index on Censorship» and the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan (IPGA), it became known that free speech is not protected in Azerbaijan Aliev. This is stated on the website of the organization «Index on Censorship».

In the course of the contest "Eurovision", the organization «Index on Censorship» officially launched a petition in support of freedom of speech in Azerbaijan, which was signed by more than 4,000 people from around the world, including the British Lord Ken Macdonald, the Icelandic MP Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Bahraini human rights activist Nabil Rajab. The petition spread in the social network "Twitter" journalists Owen Jones and Caitlin Moran, as well as writers, Stephen Fry and Graham Lineganom.

Earlier this month, Azerbaijani writer and activist Emin Milli, met with British parliamentarians to gain support for the petition, which calls on President Ilham Aliyev to stop the violation of freedom of speech in Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev sent a letter with a petition, signed by «Index on Censorship», «ARTICLE 19», «Media Diversity Institute», «The Committee to Protect Journalists», «Freedom House», the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, «Human Rights House Foundation» and «PEN International». The petition calls on the Azerbaijani President to protect the citizens, in particular the right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, and end impunity for perpetrators of crimes against journalists, media workers and allow to work without fear of violence or arrest. 

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