Calls to Baku Ahead of COP29 Over Human Rights Violations

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is currently underway in Baku, having started on November 11 and scheduled to continue until November 22. Meanwhile, international organizations are stepping up their calls concerning human rights violations in Azerbaijan.

On November 6, 17 international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, issued an appeal to European Union leaders participating in COP29. In a joint statement, the organizations urged EU leaders to directly address the issue of politically motivated arrests with the Azerbaijani authorities and ensure the release of political prisoners.

The "International Coalition for Democratic Renewal" (ICDR) and the "Forum 2000" Foundation highlighted the worsening human rights situation in Azerbaijan during the COP29 climate summit.

On November 14, the German Bundestag discussed human rights in Azerbaijan in the context of the ongoing COP29 summit in Baku. Following the debate, lawmakers called on the authorities to release Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Samir Ashurov, and other political prisoners.

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, stated that there are no political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

In the program "Complex Issue," human rights activist Rufat Safarov, head of the "Line of Defense" organization, commented on the actions of international human rights organizations. According to him, these calls have no significance for the Azerbaijani authorities. On the contrary, the more such appeals and resolutions, the more the repressive machinery of the authorities intensifies.

"During the COP29 summit, there has been poor treatment in Baku's detention facilities towards falsely accused prisoners of conscience, including the heads of 'Abzas Media' Sevinc Vagifgizi and Ulvi Hasanli, as well as journalists Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova.

Another political prisoner, Fazil Gasimov, faced abuse during a phone call from prison staff simply because he suddenly spoke in English. He was then dragged from the phone room to his cell, tearing his clothes in the process.

A member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), Ismayil Jafarsoy, who staged a solo protest in the 'Green Zone' of COP29 against the rights violations by a technical staff member of COP29, was subjected to violence by COP29 security personnel. The COP29 summit is taking place against the backdrop of all these outrages," said the human rights activist.

In his view, the events demonstrate that the opinion of the international community holds no weight for Baku.

"In Azerbaijan, there is nothing left of fundamental rights; not a single stone remains standing," lamented Safarov.