International human rights organization Freedom House issued the annual Freedom on the Net 2016 report, in which assessed internet freedom in 65 countries of the world. Azerbaijan is among the countries with partly free internet, while Armenia is in the list of countries with free internet.



On a 100-pointscale, Azerbaijan got 57 points and was named partly free. Reportedly, internet freedom declined significantly in Azerbaijan in 2015-2016, and active netizens and their families face arrest and intimidation in the country.



It is particularly emphasized that authorities deliberately cut off internet access for 13 days in Nardaran village, a stronghold of conservative Shia Islam in Azerbaijan, following violent clashes between residents and police. Prosecutors investigated independent online media outlet Meydan TV for allegedly criminal business practices, interrogating some of its few remaining Azerbaijan-based journalists.



Independent journalist RasimAliyev died from injuries sustained in a brutal attack in retaliation for a Facebook post criticizing a soccer player.



President Aliyev pardoned scores of political prisoners, including online journalists and activists, ahead of a visit to the US. However, many more remain behind bars, with several new arrests within the coverage period.



It is noted that internet access remains expensive for much of the population, with Azerbaijan lagging behind its neighbors, Armenia and Georgia, on indicators such as internet speed and affordability.

Authorities rely on pressure and threats to remove unwanted content, rather than court orders or other established takedown procedures. These methods have resulted in the removal of social media pages that produce political satire or are otherwise critical of the Aliyev government.



It is highlighted that the ongoing government crackdown against independent and opposition media outlets—in addition to the arrests of online activists—has significantly limited the space for free expression in Azerbaijan. Some online journalists, commentators, and ordinary internet users have resorted to self-censorship, especially if they are employed by state media outlets or progovernment platforms.



Authorities continue to prosecute and arrest online activists and journalists as a means of stifling dissent and activism, and target remaining independent online media outlets with bogus criminal charges. Government surveillance and monitoring of social media accounts continues be an issue. Many activists and opposition party members who are arrested or detained report that police have referenced their online communications during interrogations.



Most harassment against online activists manifests in the form of arrests, detentions, and interrogations. The government of Azerbaijan also uses travel bans against activists and human rights defenders. Physical attacks and threats of violence against internet users have also become increasingly common in Azerbaijan.



A number of opposition news websites continue to be subject to cyberattacks, resulting in temporary shutdowns. These include the news websites YeniMusavat, Azadliq and the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty local service. The majority of attacks occur during politically sensitive events, such as elections.

Armenia got 30 points and is among the countries with free internet access. The authors particularly highlight that internet freedom remained largely uninhibited in the past year, and the government does not typically restrict internet access. The population in Armenia freely uses internet and social media outlets.



As for other countries, Estonia, Island, Canada, the SUA, Germany, Great Britain, and Franceare also considered free, while Turkey and Russia are among the countries with not free internet.



According to Freedom on the Net 2015 report issued by the international human rights organization Freedom House, only 29 percent of all households in Azerbaijan were connected to the internet, but further investigation revealed that the average household in Azerbaijan’s lower income bracket (lowest 40 percent of the total population by income) needed to allocate 21 percent of their monthly disposable income to afford the cheapest mobile broadband package. In addition, over 80 percent of all landlines were concentrated in the urban areas, with 47 percent of all fixed landlines located in Baku.



The government is authorized to instruct companies to cut internet service under very broadly defined circumstances, including war, emergency situations, and disasters. Despite the fact that over 30 ISPs operate in the country, the state-owned companies control over 56 percent of the market share.