ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression, Human Rights Watch and International PEN wish to express our profound concern regarding the arrest and pre-trial detention of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, two Azerbaijani youth activists.

I am writing to express our profound concern about the death in custody of Novruzali Mammadov, editor-in-chief of Talyshi Sado newspaper, and urge you to conduct a thorough, impartial, prompt, and transparent investigation into his death, in accordance with Azerbaijan’s international commitments.

“Protection of human rights can only be achieved if the victims of human rights violations have access to an effective remedy.” Yet this fundamental human right, enshrined in so many instruments, including the European Convention on Human Rights, is being breached on a continuous basis in many member states. This fact underscores a serious enforcement gap that urgently needs to be addressed.

The rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association are at serious imminent risk in Azerbaijan as the country’s parliament, the Milli Mejlis, this week deliberates on further restrictions on the media and civic organizations.

I am writing to express our profound concerns about the proposed amendments to the Law on Non-governmental Organizations (Public Associations and Foundations) that has been submitted to the Milli Majlis.

Serious human rights violations in Azerbaijan, China, Cuba, Russia, and Saudi Arabia undermine their candidacies for the May 12, 2009 election to the United Nations Human Rights Council, a global coalition of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) said in a letter released today.

Azerbaijan's Court of Appeal should promptly grant three teenagers accused and sentenced for murder in June 2007 a fair trial, Human Rights Watch said today, on the four year anniversary of their detention. The three all maintain that they were ill-treated during their initial detention, leading to coerced murder confessions.

The Azerbaijani government should immediately withdraw its libel case against the human rights activist Leyla Yunus, Human Rights Watch said today.