Yesterday Azerbaijan celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, the first Islamic country to do so. Unfortunately, the celebration was in name only as in reality the situation the country is in, could be called anything but democratic.
In the last 25 years, Azerbaijan has been under a totalitarian regime that continuously chips away at the democratic values of the nation.
Any act of opposition to the government is seen as a threat and punished severely, which caused the Azerbaijani jails to be overcrowded with political prisoners, most of them journalists that had the courage to speak out against Aliyev and against the regime. Some have been able to get out of the country and seek political asylum, but their families stay under threat as the Azerbaijani authorities have been known to imprison the relatives of those opposing the regime.
On this occasion, the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety held a conference at the Press Club Brussels. The speakers, Executive director of IRFS Emin Huseynov and well know Azerbaijani blogger Ordukhan Teymurhan demanded the realise of political prisoners.
Furthermore, the two speakers have called on the European Union to stop believing the promises given by the President Ilham Aliyev as he always goes back on his word and to start implementing sanctions against him and his government.
The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum has shown support for the Azerbaijani cause through their Statement by the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum on the 100th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Azerbaijan denouncing the practices of the Aliyev's regime.
