23:31, 28 December 2004

Human rights situation worsens in Azerbaijan

"The human rights situation in Azerbaijan is worsening in all spheres," Director of the Institute of Peace and Democracy Leyla Yunus said in her interview with the Caucasian Knot correspondent. According to her, the striking evidence of it is the lack of the independent judicial system in Azerbaijan. Courts make decisions basing not on the law but on political orders and bribes, Ms Yunus emphasized. Torture is a widely spread means of obtaining evidence in the system of the Azerbaijan Interior Ministry, and no police officer has been punished for it, the human rights activist said. Arrests caused by political motives remain the "usual style" of governance in Azerbaijan.

Ms Yunus thinks that the situation with freedom of speech in the country has worsened, the number of independent media outlets is decreasing. International organizations, which shut their eyes to the lawless actions taking place in Azerbaijan, bear responsibility for such a situation in the country along with the authorities.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent