Azerbaijani Ombudsman Condemns Human Rights Watch Report as Biased

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, has sent an open letter to the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), Tirana Hassan, expressing her disagreement with the organization’s latest report on the human rights situation in the country.

According to the Ombudsman’s press service, the letter stated that the section on Azerbaijan in HRW’s 2024 World Report “demonstrates a biased and one-sided approach” in assessing the situation in the country. Aliyeva noted that HRW relied on “questionable and prejudiced sources” while ignoring the Ombudsman’s annual and parallel reports, which, in her words, “comprehensively reflect activities in the protection of human rights and freedoms, including the prevention of torture.”

The Ombudsman emphasized that members of the National Preventive Group had met with several individuals mentioned in HRW’s report and had not found any evidence of torture or ill-treatment against them.

The letter also criticized HRW for failing to recognize Azerbaijan’s achievements, particularly in addressing climate change. Aliyeva pointed out that HRW did not take into account the “successes and important decisions” made at the UN Climate Conference COP29, held in Baku in November 2024.

Aliyeva further highlighted the long-term consequences of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, stating that there had been “gross violations of the rights of more than a million Azerbaijanis” who became internally displaced persons as a result of what she described as Armenia’s “occupation policy.” She claimed that HRW’s report ignored the issue of landmines and the forced expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, which, in Baku’s view, demonstrated double standards against Azerbaijan.

Aliyeva urged HRW to “demonstrate impartiality” and base its reports on verified facts.

HRW Report Highlights Repression and Arrests

Earlier, on January 16, 2025, Human Rights Watch published its annual report, stating that repression in Azerbaijan had intensified, including the arrests of journalists, human rights defenders, and activists. The document emphasized that authorities continued politically motivated detentions while restricting freedom of speech, assembly, and association.

HRW also noted that the snap presidential and parliamentary elections held in 2024 did not meet the standards of free and fair elections, with international observers pointing to a lack of competition and the suppression of dissenting voices.

The organization reported that Azerbaijani authorities had increased pressure on independent media outlets, including Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Kanal 13, whose employees were arrested on charges of smuggling. According to HRW, as of the end of 2024, at least 12 journalists remained in pre-trial detention.

The report also documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees. In July 2024, Abzas Media published data on 58 alleged incidents of torture at a pre-trial detention facility, where, among others, the platform’s director, Ulvi Hasanli, was being held.