Dear friends,

Fourteen years have passed since the formation of the Society for Humanitarian Research (SHR). During this extended period of time we have had a chance to appreciate our activities, recognize our successes as well as targets which we may not be able to achieve. Even though complete success is difficult to achieve in Azerbaijan, where social processes are being strained, our organization has been able to reach its targets and realize a number of remarkable programs in a short period of time.

Conference Report: “The role of the EU EaP Civil Society Forum in European Integration; Platforms of effective opportunities”

Speakers:

Mr. Avaz Hasanov - EaP CSF Steering Committee member, Society for Humanitarian Research

Mr. Ali Huseynov – Member of the Milli Madjlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan, Head of delegation of Azerbaijan Republic in EURONEST, Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation

H.E Ambassador Roland Kobia - Head of European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan

Mr. Azay Guliyev - Chairman of the Council of State Support to NGOs under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Member of the Milli Madjlis (Parliament)

Mr. Rasim Musabekov – Member of Azerbaijan National Committee for European Integration

It is exactly 5 years ago today since the threats hanging over Azerbaijan’s highly-popular investigative journalist Elmar Huseynov were finally enacted. The 38-year old Huseynov, founder and chief editor of weekly “Monitor”, was shot seven times by a silencer pistol and killed in the stairwells of his apartment in capital Baku on 2 March 2005.

The enquiries into the death of the famous journalist have been condemned as vague and half-hearted – with neither the hit man not those behind the killing were found. With the investigation remaining totally unproductive 5 years after the tragedy, few Azeris believe the case will ever be solved. Elmar’s colleagues and human rights watchdogs say the death was politically motivated and had been contracted to silence his work. The assassination was probably a decisive slap in the face of already curtailed freedom of media.