Authorities must immediately release Rufat Safarov – Amnesty International

Reacting to the arrest of Azerbaijani human rights defender Rufat Safarov, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International's Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:

"The arrest of Rufat Safarov on trumped-up fraud and hooliganism charges is another glaring example of the Azerbaijani authorities' relentless efforts to silence dissenting voices in the country. The arbitrary detention of Rufat Safarov is designed to undermine the work of human rights defenders, obstruct the monitoring of the human rights situation in the country, and intimidate anyone who dares to speak truth to power. It's no coincidence that it happened as soon as the international spotlight of COP29 moved away from Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijani authorities must immediately release Rufat Safarov, as he is detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights. Authorities must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of everyone in the country including the rights to freedom of expression and association. The persecution of human rights defenders and government critics erodes the principles of justice and undermines international human rights standards."

*Rufat Safarov, a prominent human rights defender, was detained on the evening of 3 December. He has been charged under Articles 178.3.2 ("fraud involving significant damage") and 221.1 ("hooliganism") of the country's Criminal Code. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. He was previously imprisoned for nine years in 2015 on apparent trumped-up charges after he made a public statement criticizing the government. An investigator at the Prosecutor's Office of Zardab district at the time, he then resigned from his position and joined the opposition. He was pardoned and released in 2019.

Safarov's arrest comes amid an intensified crackdown on activists and government critics in Azerbaijan, as evidenced by the arbitrary detention of activists such as Anar Mammadli and Gubad Ibadoghlu.