Concern for freedom of speech in Azerbaijan
Several international organisations are expressing concern for deterioration of freedom of speech in Azerbaijan as the turn of the year has brought restrictions of foreign radio broadcasting, referendum on president mandate and a lawsuit against a famous human rights defender. An article on the situation in Azerbaijan written by the Peace Institute’s volunteer Tamara Grigoryeva can be found here. The chapter on Azerbajdzjan in the Human Rights Watchs World report 2009 discusses restrictions of freedom of speech in Azerbaijan. There is also an article on the lawsuit against human rights lawyer Leila Yunus.In Freedom in the world 2009 the Freedomhouse is reporting on president Aliyevs increasing monopolisation of power.On the website of the Norwegian Helsinki Assebly you can among other things find an appeal on the restrictions of radio broadcasting. Other links to pages that report on Azerbaijan in English:Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Turan Today.az
Wille Valve new head of the Mediation Office
Wille Valve is the new Head of the Åland Islands Mediation Office and a part-time researcher at the Åland Islands Peace Institute. Wille holds a MSSc in International Law and a Bachelor’s degree in Russian language and literature from the Åbo Akademi University. Wille has previously been working at the marketing department of the Bank of Åland. Before this, he was a trainee at the Åland Islands Peace Institute and at the Nordic Council of Ministers in St. Petersburg.
Anna-Lena Sjölund anställd som projektledare/forskare
Anna-Lena Sjölund is new as responsible for the youth activities of the Peace Institute, including peace education and conflict management in schools as well as youth exchange in the framework of the European Voluntary Service (EVS). She is also in charge of trainings and seminars within the area of responsibility of the Peace Institute,Anna-Lena is also going to work with research in the fields of the international status of the Åland Islands , non-discrimination and the status of minorities in Europe.She has a Master’s in political science with focus on international law and an LL.M degree from New York University, School of Law.Anna-Lena has previously worked as a legal adviser in the Office of the High Representative and in the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has also worked briefly as a legal adviser to the Åland Parliament and as a project manager in the Council of Europe. Anna-Lena started working for the Åland Islands Peace Institute in the fall of 2006. At the time she was the Head of the Åland Mediation Bureau.Anna-Lena has done legal research in an number of areas linked to the special status under international law of the Åland Islands. In 2007 the Peace […]