Atletico Madrid and Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is the official Atletico sponsor. Then, a supporter must know more about this country. In business, income is important. In football business, incomes are more important. Without real autonomy in income, there will not be real autonomy in expenditure.

The link between Azerbaijan and Atletico Madrid has a tremendous value, as the tool to achieve important goals, through actions of a different nature. It’s important to know how Authorities don’t stop persecution of free voices. Many people must obey. In Spain, people can deplore intensifying harassment of media freedom activists in Azerbaijan but it want free football in television.

Economy

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan. Currently the oil economy of Baku is undergoing resurgence, with the development of the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field (Shallow water Gunashli by SOCAR, deeper areas by a consortium led by BP), development of the Shah Deniz gas field, the expansion of the Sangachal Terminal and the construction of the BTC Pipeline.

The Baku Stock Exchange is Azerbaijan's largest stock exchange, and largest in the Caucasian region by market capitalization. A relatively large number of transnational companies are headquartered in Baku. One of the more prominent institutions headquartered in Baku is the International Bank of Azerbaijan, which is run by Dr. Jahangir Hajiyev and employs over 1,000 people. International banks with branches in Baku include HSBC, Société Générale and Credit Suisse.

Policy

On 5 August, airport authorities prevented Emin Huseynov from leaving Baku on his way to Istanbul. He’s the Chair of Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety(IRFS). His activity doesn’t like government of Azerbaizan. Then, he can’t leave Baku. In Istanbul, he was scheduled to receive urgent medical treatment. No official explanation of the travel ban has been given.

On 8 August, unidentified people in plain clothes have been attempting to breach the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety office while representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office searched the home of Emin Huseynov’s mother. They confiscated her computer equipment.

The attempts to raid the IRFS office, intimidation of Emin Huseynov’s family and the imposed travel ban are further proof of a wide-scale deterioration of the media freedom situation in Azerbaijan that includes targeted persecution of independent journalists, freedom of expression advocates and bloggers. The authorities have to stop the continued persecution of media and free voices in the country.

The Media Rights Institute (MRI), another prominent Azerbaijani media NGO, fights each day for human rights and media freedom. The bank accounts of the MRI,  and its Director Rashid Hajili have been frozen as part of the ongoing criminal restrictions selectively imposed on human rights and media freedom organizations in the country, an issue previously addressed in a 5 August statement.

These cases and accompanying smear campaigns have resulted in worrying setbacks for the development of free expression in Azerbaijan that create a chilling effect on media and society as a whole. While I do not challenge the lawful right of the authorities to scrutinize the activities of non-governmental organizations, such actions should not be aimed at silencing critical voices.

The Government of Azerbaijan must comply with its OSCE commitments and enable journalists and freedom of expression advocates to work in an environment free from intimidation. There are now more than 10 members of the media in prison, convicted or awaiting a trial.

We can cite  the recent handing down of lengthy prison sentences to online activists and bloggers, Omar Mamedov and Abdul Abilov, on charges of illegal storage and sale of drugs; to journalist Parviz Hashimli, on charges of smuggling and illegal storage and sale of firearms; to Nijat Aliyev, editor-in-chief of the azadxeber.org news website, on various charges, including drug possession and incitement of hatred; to Sardar Alibeyli, editor-in-chief of P.S. Nota newspaper, on charges of hooliganism; and to Rashad Ramazanov, an independent blogger, on charges of illegal storage and sale of drugs.