Human Rights Defenders Must Be Able To Work in Safety, UN Tells Azerbaijan
New York, Aug 16 2011 - The United Nations today voiced its concern at the destruction of property housing several
important non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Azerbaijan, and called on the country’s Government to ensure
safe working conditions for human rights defenders.
The building in Baku housing the Institute of Peace and Democracy as well as the Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines
and the Women’s Crisis Center – the only women’s shelter in the capital – was destroyed on 11 August.
City officials allegedly refused to allow the occupants to remove their belongings from the building, including valuable
office equipment and files, before bulldozers carried out the demolition, despite a May ruling by a Baku court
prohibiting the destruction of the building, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR).
“Given the worrying reports of forced evictions and destruction of property in Baku, as well as of harassment of human
rights defenders, we call on the authorities of Azerbaijan to thoroughly investigate this case and, if necessary,
provide adequate compensation and restitution,” Rupert Colville, OHCHR’s spokesperson in Geneva, told a news conference.
He also called on the Government to guarantee safe working conditions for the Institute for Peace and Democracy, as well
as for other human rights defenders in Azerbaijan.
“The Government of Azerbaijan is obliged, by the international and regional treaties which it has ratified, to ensure
respect for the right to adequate housing, for the prohibition of forced evictions and property rights, as well as for
the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders,” said Mr Colville.
For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news
ENDS