Azerbaijani Authorities Escalate Repression, Prompting Protest from National Council

In a distressing turn of events, Azerbaijani authorities have intensified their ongoing campaign of repression, this time squarely targeting AbzasMedia and its leadership. On November 20th, Ulvi Hasanli, the director of AbzasMedia, was apprehended, and both his residence and the media organization's office were subjected to searches. During these searches, a sum of 40,000 euros was purportedly discovered in AbzasMedia's office. It is widely believed that these funds were planted by security operatives themselves, only to be conveniently "found" later.

On November 21st, Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of AbzasMedia, faced detention upon her return to Baku from a foreign trip, with both Hasanli and Vagifgizi charged with smuggling. Subsequently, the court kept them in custody for 4 months, for the entire period of the preliminary investigation.

The National Council has declared this latest episode of repression, intended to dismantle AbzasMedia as an independent media outlet, as part of a broader effort to quell discussions of corruption within high circles of power. The regime, under President Ilham Aliyev, has increasingly eroded the nation's wealth, and it seeks to silence any discourse on this. It aims to maintain strict control over socio-political institutions and activists, curbing criticism.

The National Council reminds us that prior to these two arrests, several influential figures, including Professor Gubad Ibadoglu, Chairman of the GDR Party, economist and businessman Nazim Baydemirli, former deputy Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, and labor activists demanding their rights, were arrested on various charges. This new wave of arrests has also affected members of the PFPA, with the number of political prisoners from the party now reaching nine.

The National Council expresses concern that this surge in arrests coincides with a shift in the country's foreign policy. Azerbaijan, under various pretexts, appears to be distancing itself from the democratic Western world while moving closer to an authoritarian Russia. The regime, capitalizing on the liberation of Karabakh from Armenian occupation, seeks to unequivocally redirect the country's geopolitical orientation toward Russia. Simultaneously, it aims to silence voices of dissent, including free media, independent journalists, civil society activists, and opposition figures within Azerbaijan.

In this challenging and risky environment, free media, independent journalists, civil society activists, and opposition members in Azerbaijan are courageously fighting for freedom and justice. The National Council calls on the global and international community to lend more substantial support to the democratic forces in Azerbaijan. The authoritarian regime is dismantling democratic institutions and paving the way for a complete totalitarian government within the country, a development that should concern everyone.

The Azerbaijani people are urged not to merely observe these events that could shape their future. They should protest against these policies through all available means and stand in solidarity with those fighting for their rights and freedoms.

The National Council reaffirms its commitment to standing alongside every Azerbaijani whose rights are violated and supporting all free journalists, including Ulvi Hasanli and Sevinj Vagifgizi. The struggle for the release of all political prisoners, led by Hasanli, Vagifgizi, and Gubad Ibadoglu, as well as the pursuit of freedom and justice in Azerbaijan, will continue resolutely.