Bipartisan U.S. Congressional Resolution Demands Immediate Release Of Gubad Ibadoghlu

Twenty-one Members of the United States House of Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors of a resolution (H. RES. 1012) calling on Azerbaijan to immediately release Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, a respected academic and economist who has been detained in Baku since last summer, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The resolution was introduced yesterday by Republican Representative David Rouzer to condemn the treatment of Mr Ibadoghlu by Azerbaijani government, and urging his immediate release.

According to the authors, Dr. Ibadoghlu, who along with his wife has been arrested by Azerbaijani authorities on July 23, 2023, and severely beaten while in police custody, was dubiously accused of multiple criminal acts without evidence, and remains imprisoned at the Baku Detention Center in extremely poor conditions while awaiting trial. His health continues to deteriorate significantly since his initial arrest, and he has not received adequate medical treatment for his conditions.

"Dr. Ibadoghlu has been repeatedly denied access to his legal counsel and a fair trial while in custody... Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Baku, alongside United States academic institutions and organizations in the international community, have expressed deep concerns regarding Dr. Ibadoghlu’s health and have demanded his immediate release... The wrongful detention of Dr. Ibadoghlu is a serious affront to human rights and academic freedom," reads the draft resolution.

The authors condemn the treatment of Dr. Ibadoghlu by the Azerbaijani government, their practice of wrongful detention, and their suppression of academic freedom and call for Dr. Ibadoghlu’s immediate and unconditional release.

The resolution also urges the Secretary of State to continue prioritizing Dr. Ibadoghlu’s well-being and release in all engagements with the Azeri govenrment.