UN Human Rights Committee discuss detained bloggers

The 96th Session, held in Geneva 13th – 31st July 2009, discussed the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, brought to the UN by The Institute for Reporter’s Freedom and Safety; International Student Co-operation; Legal Education Society; Association for the Protection of Women’s Rights; Society for Humanitarian Research; Media Rights Institute; Public Association for Assistance to Free Economy; Institute for Peace and Democracy and The Gender and Development Organisation of Azerbaijan.

Issues rasied at the meeting included:

- The case of Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade, the two bloggers detained on disputed charges of hooliganism on 8th July 2009.

Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) raised issues concerning internally displaced people in Azerbaijan.
- Restrictions on liberty of  movement and freedom to choose one’s residence
- Early marriage of internally displaced girls
- Discrimination of internally displaced women
- Limited public participation of internally displaced people
For a full report of their concerns please see the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights website

Gender and Development, Azerbaijan in partnership with Global Rights and ILGA Europe raised the following concerns:
A report on The Violations of the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people in Azerbaijan

The Citizens Labour Rights Movement raised concerns focusing on:
- Freedom of assembly and peaceful meetings (including reports of demonstrations following the State Oil Academy shooting incident, being broken up, and the organisers arrested)
- Freedom of association with others
For an indepth report of their discussion please see the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights website