Charges Against Gubad Ibadoghlu 'Would Qualify As Satire', Key U.S. Congressman Says

U.S. Congressman Jamie Raskin, a key Democrat from Maryland, believes that the charges that the Azerbaijan government has used to justify Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu's detention and imprisonment without trial - that he organized the production of counterfeit money to support a political group and, as an avowed secularist, disseminates material that supports religious extremism -- are "so dubious and baseless that they would qualify as satire in another context."

"Dr. Ibadoghlu's true "crime" against the Aliyev regime is his devotion to the causes of democracy, freedom and anti-corruption in Azerbaijan," the lawmaker said in his address before the U.S. Congress, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

Raskin, a professor of constitutional law, who serves as the ranking member of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, last week became the latest U.S. Congressman to publicly call on the Azerbaijani government to "immediately" release Dr. Ibadoghlu, whom he described as 'a courageous pro-democracy activist, brilliant economist, and beloved husband and father, who has been unjustly detained for over seven months.'

"I join my fellow Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Baku, U.S. academic institutions and organizations, the European Parliament, and others in  the international community to express my deep concerns about Dr. Ibadoghlu's health and demand his immediate release," the Congressman said.

According to him, on July 23, 2023, Dr. Ibadoghlu and his wife, Irada Bayramova, were forced out of their car near Baku, seized by masked individuals, detained, and beaten. Dr. Ibadoghlu had returned to Azerbaijan earlier in July from a visiting fellowship at the London School of Economics to care for his ailing mother. Though Ms. Bayramova was released hours later, Dr. Ibadoghlu was not released.

"He is detained today because he bravely chose to return to Azerbaijan to care for his mother despite fleeing the country in 2017 to teach abroad after his civic activism prompted threats of retaliation," the Congressman noted.

He went on to emphasize that I badoghlu's family has been denied communication with him.  "During Dr. Ibadoghlu's seven-month detention, he has been subjected  to crowded and inhumane conditions common to Azerbaijan's jails and  denied sustained access to critical medication. Dr. Ibadoghlu's family  is increasingly concerned that he has been denied the medication and  medical treatment that he desperately needs to treat his chronic health  conditions. He has additionally been repeatedly denied access to his  legal counsel and has not received a fair trial while in custody," ne added.

The Congressman also mentioned that Ibadoghlu is "one of far too many" Azerbaijanis that the Aliyev regime has unjustly detained to suppress freedom and civil rights.
"The Government of Azerbaijan's poor record of respecting human rights,  ivil rights and civil liberties is a moral stain that affects free people everywhere. Whether they live in Washington, D.C. or Baku, Hong Kong or Beijing, Moscow or Kyiv, everyone should have the right to determine their own destiny," he said.

"Dr. Ibadoghlu's unjust imprisonment must end immediately!" the Congressman concluded.