Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Azerbaijan: Alternative service "not under discussion" despite latest ECtHR decision

(05.11.2021) Despite another European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decision that Azerbaijan violated the human rights of two more conscientious objectors, Saadat Novruzova of the Presidential Administration’s Human Rights Protection Unit told Forum 18 that changing the law to introduce a civilian alternative to compulsory military service "is not under discussion". Azerbaijan committed to the Council of Europe to introduce an alternative service by January 2003. The 7 October ECtHR decision reminded Azerbaijan of a similar earlier decision that "calls in principle for legislative action" to satisfy "the obligations incumbent on it of assuring .. the right to benefit from the right to conscientious objection".

Despite another European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decision that Azerbaijan violated the human rights of two more conscientious objectors, Saadat Novruzova of the Presidential Administration’s Human Rights Protection Unit told Forum 18 that changing the law to introduce a civilian alternative to compulsory military service "is not under discussion". Azerbaijan committed to the Council of Europe to introduce an alternative service by January 2003. The 7 October ECtHR decision reminded Azerbaijan of a similar earlier decision that "calls in principle for legislative action" to satisfy "the obligations incumbent on it of assuring .. the right to benefit from the right to conscientious objection".

Ermenistan-Azerbaycan Savaşında Türkiye

(11.10.2020) Dün, 2 haftalık savaşın sonunda Ermenistan ve Azerbaycan arasında ateşkes anlaşması sağlandı fakat gelen ilk haberlere göre anlaşmaya uyulmadı. İki eski sovyet ülkesi, on yıllardır çoğu Azerbaycan tarafında olan ve nüfusu Ermeni ağırlıklı olan Dağlık Karabağ bölgesi yüzünden anlaşmazlık yaşıyor. 6 Ekim 2020 tarihli bahsi geçen bu yazıda, Türkiye´den gelen vicdanı retçi Beran Mehmet İşçi tarafından Türkiye´nin bu savaştaki rolü anlatılmıştır. (d. Red.)

Azerbaijan: "When it comes to our ideas, we showed we are a real opposition"

Interview with anti-war activist

(08.10.2020) On 30 September, 17 Azerbaijani left-wing activists released an anti-war statement, calling for an end to the war and restoration of dialogue. Activist and researcher Bahruz Samadov was one of the signatories to the statement. “A fractious and divided society has suddenly been consolidated through the power of military action,” wrote Samadov in a recent column for OC Media. “The government, the opposition, and the de-politicised majority now espouse the same dominant narrative of a national duty to take back the country’s lost lands.” An activist with NIDA civic movement, he currently researches authoritarian stability and depoliticisation in Azerbaijan at Charles University, Prague. openDemocracy spoke to Samadov about anti-war sentiment in the country, how Karabakh is the main field of politicisation in Azerbaijan and the role of the Azerbaijani left.

Azerbaijan: Will regime implement alternative service commitment?

(28.04.2020) Ruling party deputy Siyavush Novruzov told parliament on 30 March that an Alternative Service Law should be adopted. Parliament’s Defence Committee is handling this, he told Forum 18. The government has not made public any draft. Azerbaijan committed to the Council of Europe to have alternative service by 2003 but failed to meet its obligation. Jehovah’s Witnesses say criminal cases against their conscientious objectors are not being pursued.

After pledging in 2001 to the Council of Europe it would have introduced a civilian alternative for those who cannot perform military service on grounds of conscience by January 2003, a senior ruling party politician told Azerbaijan’s parliament, the Milli Mejlis, on 30 March 2020 that an Alternative Service Law should be adopted. The brief remark by parliamentary deputy Siyavush Novruzov was widely reported in the media with no comment. The government has not yet made public any draft law.