Baku, June 18
Turan News Agency

Proposed changes to Azerbaijani legislation on NGOs contravene the country's constitution and its international commitments, and their adoption would lead to the elimination of civil society in the country.

This was the main leitmotif heard at an NGO forum held on 18 June dedicated to the Milli Maclis' [Azerbaijani parliament] discussions on the amendments to the law "on NGOs (public organizations and foundations)".

"The proposed changes contravene basic freedoms - association, expression, assembly," said Erkin Qadirli, the co-founder of Republican Alternative (REAL).

Prohibiting the activities of NGOs without state registration is a violation of the constitutional right to [free] association. And levelling punishments for working without registration violates the freedom of expression, Qadirli said. Finally, restricting the geographical areas in which NGOs can operate will lead to the violation of the freedom of assembly.

In regard to the proposed amendment on the inadmissibility of registering NGOs with names that "mislead society", the expert noted the vague definitions under which the authorities can refuse to register NGOs they dislike.

According to the head of the Centre for Economic Research, Qubad Ibadoglu, restrictions on foreign sources of financing will worsen the already weak financial situation of NGOs, which, according to unofficial data for 2008, had a total of more than 222,000 employees and volunteers. A total of 15m dollars worth of financial assistance was rendered to NGOs by foreign sources in 2008. He compared this to the situation in Hungary, where 57,000 NGOs are in operation whose grant turnover is 3.5bn euros per year.

Assertions that foreign sources' financing NGOs threatens Azerbaijan's security are groundless. According to the cabinet of ministers, the Azerbaijani state bodies themselves received a total of 1.19bn dollars in grants and other forms of assistance in 2008. The imposition of restrictions would lead to assistance meant for Azerbaijan instead going to Georgia and Armenia.

The leader of the [opposition] Musavat party, Isa Qambar, assessed the proposed amendments as "yet another attack on civil society by the criminal, corrupt regime". He said that if the amendments are adopted, the People's Front should be revived in Azerbaijan and all democratic forces should consolidate.

During the meeting, it was said that it was inadmissible to make concessions to the government in exchange for this or that NGO being able to operate in favourable conditions.

Qambar said the only way to oppose the adoption of the amendments was through fighting resolutely, including through holding mass protest rallies.

The head of the NGO Forum, a pro-government alliance, Rauf Zeyni, meanwhile, said it was wrong to "politicize" the problem. As he sees it, the problem can be resolved through negotiations.

The leader of the Azerbaijani United People's Front party, MP Qudrat Hasanquliyev, also came out against "radicalisation". "The realities must be taken into account. These authorities will not accept being pressured and radicalisation could do harm," he said.

People's Front of Azerbaijan Party leader Ali Karimli said that the proposed amendments would leave no room for compromise and were targeted at finally establishing the reign of a totalitarian system in Azerbaijan.

Opposition MP Panah Huseyn said the authorities might deceive the public and postpone discussion on the amendments until after the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which will take place on 22-26 June.

It was decided at the meeting that a protest rally would be held in front of parliament during discussions on the amendments on 19 June.

Also taking part in the forum were representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations. Representatives of the authorities were invited, but did not attend the forum.