International reaction to Gubad Ibadoglu' release

Representatives of Western structures welcomed the release of politician and economist Gubad Ibadoglu and called for all charges against him to be dropped and all other political prisoners to be released.

"The UK welcomes the court's decision to transfer Dr. Gubad Ibadoglu to house arrest. We have been protecting his rights to medical care and treatment by qualified specialists for a long time," British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fergus Auld said in a post on the social platform X.

PACE Rapporteur on "Threats to the life and safety of journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan" Hannah Bardell also welcomed Ibadoglu's release from custody.

She called on the Azerbaijani authorities to urgently review and drop politically motivated charges against him, Bardell said in a statement.

Another PACE member, German MP Frank Schwabe, is also glad to see Ibadoglu's release.

"This is an encouraging fact, but it is clear that all charges against him must be dropped. All 300 political prisoners should be released," Schwabe wrote on the social network X.

"It is wonderful to see a change in the preventive measure against Gubad Ibadoglu," says Giorgi Gogia, head of the Human Rights Watch Department for Europe and Central Asia.

"But he shouldn't have been arrested! Baku should eliminate all charges against him," Gogia believes.