Azernews.Az

The government must fully ensure and protect freedom of speech and expression of journalists and media representatives, the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights said in its recommendations to Azerbaijan Tuesday, Radio Liberty reported.
The UN Committee against Torture is reportedly concerned over facts of alleged pressure on the media in Azerbaijan, in particular, over the reports claiming physical assaults on journalists and rights defenders.
The UN Commission on Human Rights expressed concern over what is described as tight restrictions on the rights of mass media to exercise freedom of expression, shutdowns of independent media outlets and the revocation of several foreign radio stations’ broadcast licenses in Azerbaijan. The commission is also worried by the cases of intimidation of journalists, their prosecution on libel charges or facing charges of hooliganism. It also expressed concern over alleged undisclosed cases of journalists’ killings and beatings.
The Committee against Torture is also concerned over the continuing operation of the National Security Ministry’s pre-trial detention facility and reiterated its initial recommendation that the facility be either transferred to the Justice Ministry or shut down.
The Committee also maintained that prisoners are not notified of their rights, notably, the rights to medical aid provided by independent doctors and to communicate with rights champions and their family members. It believes that jailed bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade had been detained on baseless charges.
The Committee against Torture also voiced concern over circulating reports about the alleged forceful hospitalization of persons in psychiatric facilities in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and poor conditions in psychiatric hospitals outside the capital Baku.
The Committee noted significant progress in the country’s judiciary system, but said there was a lack of legal impartiality in the execution of court rulings and that the judiciary is allegedly prone to political pressure.
It also claimed that cases of senior officers’ abusing their inferiors, violence and ill treatment are widespread in the Azerbaijani military, and cited a considerable number of inexplicable deaths, including those resulting from suicides.*