Azerbaijan: NGO Law Passed

Azerbaijan's parliament has adopted a somewhat liberalized version of legislation that sets new limits on the country's non-governmental organizations.

Details about the revised bill are scarce, with Azerbaijani media providing only the broadest of information. The original bill sparked a fierce international outcry about Azerbaijan's alleged disregard for civil liberties. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The new bill does not include one of the most controversial original provisions -- limitations on foreign funding to a maximum of 50 percent of an NGO's total budget, according to the Vesti news service. The new legislation allows foreign-based NGOs to work in Azerbaijan only on the basis of intergovernmental agreements, the Vesti report added.

A handful of Azerbaijani NGOs activists gathered in front of parliament to protest the legislation, but law enforcement personnel quickly dispersed the demonstration.