In 2023, the human rights situation in Azerbaijan deteriorated even more – human rights defenders

Baku/26.12.23/Turan: The human rights situation in Azerbaijan continued to deteriorate in 2023, fundamental freedoms were violated in the country, and the number of political prisoners increased, the report of the Monitoring Center for Political Prisoners. In particular, the report indicates the maintenance of a de-facto ban on freedom of assembly, the refusal of the authorities to coordinate opposition protests, the dispersal of peaceful demonstrations, pickets. Thus, the Executive power of Baku did not coordinate the feminist rally scheduled for March 8 in the center of Baku. On August 1, the police broke up a protest by the couriers' union.

On June 20, a protest action was also severely suppressed in the village of Seyudlu, Gadabey region, whose residents opposed environmental pollution by a gold mining enterprise. At the same time, on July 4, a former deputy, businessman Nazim Beidemirli, was arrested on charges of extortion, who stated the validity of the fears and demands of the residents of Seyudlu.

The report also points to restrictions on freedom of association. In particular, it is indicated that due to the reactionary norms of the new law on political parties, many of them were forced to cease their activities.  At the same time, some opposition parties were presented with unfounded claims during the verification of documents. They were re-registered at the latest date.

The leader of the Azerbaijani Democracy and Welfare Party, which was denied registration, Gubad Ibadoglu, was arrested in July 2023 on far-fetched charges. At the end of the year, repressions were launched against independent media, and in particular about 10 journalists were arrested on trumped-up charges, including employees of “Abzas Media” Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizy, Mohammed Kekalov, Nargiz Absalamova, investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly, head of “Channel-13” Aziz Orujev and head of “Channel-11” Teymur Kerimov.

The report also points to repression against believers and religious activists who are arrested on routine charges of drug trafficking. "Civil society has been virtually destroyed, most activists and human rights defenders have emigrated, fearing arrests, television, radio and the press are under the supervision of the authorities, the courts are subordinated to the political elite, lawyers who are not pleasing to the regime are deprived of licenses. New laws are issued by the parliament, which is "handy" to the executive power, and they do not reflect the interests of the people. Azerbaijan's management methods increasingly resemble the Putin regime of Russia," the report concludes. The Monitoring Center for Political Prisoners was established in October 2014 by a group of former prisoners of conscience. The center is headed by Elshan Hasanov. –06B-