Human Rights Foundation Highlights Crisis in Azerbaijan

The Norwegian Human Rights Foundation has released a report titled “Growing Human Rights Crisis in Azerbaijan,” drawing attention to the intensifying repression against government critics in the country ahead of COP29.

“Since 2023, the Azerbaijani authorities have escalated their ruthless crackdown on human rights defenders, lawyers, independent journalists, opposition politicians, civil society activists, and scholars. Torture and ill-treatment remain widespread, with many detainees reporting abuse in detention facilities. Repression, combined with an extremely restrictive legal environment for the activities of independent civil society organizations and the media, threatens to eradicate all forms of dissent and legitimate human rights activities. This is occurring in the context of the upcoming COP29 climate conference and the recently held extraordinary presidential and parliamentary elections, which the OSCE ODIHR election observation mission described as ‘non-competitive, conducted in a restrictive environment, and far from meeting democratic standards,’ the report states.”

The study provides specific instances of arrests of government critics.

In particular, it highlights the cases of human rights defender Anar Mamedli, economist scholar Gubad Ibadoglu, journalists, and activists arrested in connection with the cases of Toplum TV, Abzas Media, and Kanal-13.

Additionally, the report discusses the cases of trade union activists Afiyaddin Mamedov, Moxyaddin Orudjev, Elvin Mustafaev, young researchers Igbal Abilov and Bakhruz Samedov.

The Human Rights Foundation has put forward “Key Recommendations to the International Community.”

Specifically, it calls for raising human rights issues with the Azerbaijani authorities, including in the lead-up to and during participation in COP29.

The international community must demand the Azerbaijani authorities to:

• Immediately and unconditionally release all unlawfully detained individuals, ensure the full restoration of their civil and political rights, and cease the persecution of critical voices in Azerbaijan.
• Abolish restrictive legislation concerning NGOs and the media.
• Publish the agreement between the United Nations and Azerbaijan regarding the conduct of COP29.

The report also emphasizes the need to request meetings with Azerbaijani political prisoners, publicly discuss the cases of detained human rights defenders and journalists, meet with the families of the detained, and address the human rights situation in Azerbaijan during media appearances.

Furthermore, the authors of the report consider it necessary to engage the diplomatic community in Baku to discuss the cases of political prisoners and improve legislation affecting civil society in Azerbaijan.