Tightening the Screws

Azerbaijan’s record on freedom of expression, assembly, and association has been on a steady decline for some years, but it has seen a dramatic deterioration since mid-2012.  Since then the government has been engaged in a concerted effort to curtail opposition political activity, punish public allegations of corruption and other criticism of government practices, and exercise greater control over nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This report, based on more than 100 interviews in the 18 months from February 2012 to August 2013, document the imprisonment of political activists, crackdown on the media and the pressure on NGOs and public assembly.