Azernews.Az

Amnesty International said Wednesday the international community must not turn a blind eye to what it called human rights violations in Azerbaijan.

In a new report citing an alleged clampdown on dissent since protests erupted in March, the rights group claimed freedoms suppressed in Azerbaijan detail a wave of intimidation and arrests around protests against corruption and the increasing suppression of independent media, non-governmental organizations and opposition parties.

"Since then, youth activists and opposition figures have been jailed on arbitrary or trumped up charges while journalists and human rights defenders have been threatened and harassed," the report claimed.

Amnesty International considers 17 people convicted around the time of the protests to be prisoners of conscience and asks for their immediate release.

"The clampdown has sent out a clear and calculated message - that public expression of dissent will not be tolerated, and nor will any attempt to galvanize public opinion against the current regime," said Natalia Nozadze, Amnesty International's Azerbaijan researcher.

"The European Union and other international partners of Azerbaijan must take every opportunity to press for the release of the prisoners of conscience and to put an end to the suppression of peaceful protest, critical opinion and political opposition."

Hundreds of people gathered in the streets of the capital Baku in March and April this year demanding democratic reforms and greater respect for human rights. Inspired by mass protests in the Middle East and North Africa, opposition activists used social media to organize and disseminate information, according to Amnesty International. It alleged the Azerbaijani authorities responded by banning the protests and harassing and arresting bloggers and activists.

Following the protests 14 activists and members of opposition political parties were convicted of organizing and participating in public disorder and sentenced to up to 3 years in prison. Amnesty International believes that there is no evidence that any of the imprisoned opposition supporters were engaged in anything more than the legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of expression and association in seeking to organize peaceful protests in central Baku.

Azerbaijani officials have dismissed international organizations’ criticism of the country’s rights record, saying such strongly worded feedback results from some circles’ attempts to pressure Baku.