Amnesty International - Azerbaïdjan : les Jeux de la répression

AZERBAIJAN: THE REPRESSION GAMES THE VOICES YOU WON’T HEAR AT THE FIRST EUROPEAN GAMES 1 The îrst ever European Games are due to take place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on 12-28 June 2015. This multi-sport event will involve around 6,000 athletes and features a new state-of-the-art stadium costing some US$640 million. The games will give a huge boost to the government’s campaign to portray Azerbaijan as a progressive and politically stable rising economic power. According to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the hosting of the European Games ‘will enable Azerbaijan to assert itself again 2 throughout Europe as a strong, growing and a modern state.’ But behind the image trumpeted by the government of a forward-looking, modern nation is a state where criticism of the authorities is routinely and increasingly met with repression. Journalists, political activists and human rights defenders who dare to challenge the government face trumped up charges, unfair trials and lengthy prison sentences. In recent years, the Azerbaijani authorities have mounted an unprecedented clampdown on independent voices within the country. They have done so quietly and incrementally with the result that their actions have largely escaped consequences. The effects, however, are unmistakable.