"They took everything from me"

"Since 2008, the government of Azerbaijan has undertaken a sweeping program of urban redevelopment in the capital, Baku. But in doing so it has illegally expropriated and demolished hundreds of homes, and forcibly evicted homeowners, violating their rights in the process. Based on interviews with affected homeowners, 'They Took Everything From Me' documents how the authorities forcibly evicted residents and demolished homes without adequate notice, often without warning or in the middle of the night, and destroyed or damaged personal possessions. In some cases the authorities cut off services, including electricity and water, and dismantled apartment buildings in order to compel remaining residents to leave. The report describes how the government refused to provide homeowners fair compensation for the values of properties, many of which are in highly-desirable locations. It also details the lack of effective legal recourse or remedy to individuals whose rights were violated. One of the four neighborhoods described in this report is Bayil, the seaside location of the National Flag Square and the Baku Crystal Hall, the venue for the May 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. Human Rights Watch calls on the Azerbaijani government to halt all further expropriations, evictions, and demolitions until they can be carried out in a manner consistent with Azerbaijani law and international human rights law. The prosecutor's office should initiate an independent inquiry into why the expropriations and demolitions in central Baku have been allowed to take place in a manner that clearly violates Azerbaijani and international law."--P. [4] of cover.