Source: Amnesty International –
In the leadup to next month’s COP29 climate summit in Baku, states must exert pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities to reverse their clampdown on civil society, release those detained solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, and ensure participants including activists and journalists can engage freely and fully in the event, Amnesty International said today.
Since Azerbaijan was announced as the host of COP29 last December, the authorities have intensified their crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. Independent civil society organizations have been closed and critics locked up under politically motivated charges, or forced into exile, in a haunting echo of previous crackdowns documented by Amnesty International around other major international events hosted by Azerbaijan, including Eurovision 2012 and the 2015 European Games.
“Azerbaijan is hosting an international conference on climate justice while actively undermining the main pillars of climate activism – repressing all forms of critical expression and protests and dismantling local civil society. The Azerbaijani authorities have locked up hundreds of people on politically motivated charges for daring to speak out. The list includes journalists, activists and human rights defenders critical of the government who remain in arbitrary detention, in violation of due process and with no guarantee of fair trials,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“The authorities are also subjecting dissenters’ relatives to reprisals, while passing repressive laws to inhibit the work of NGOs and the media. The Azerbaijani government’s attempt to hide its abysmal human rights record behind a global climate summit is blatant greenwashing.”
Azerbaijan is hosting an international conference on climate justice while actively undermining the main pillars of climate activism – repressing all forms of critical expression and protests and dismantling local civil society.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General
Azerbaijani human rights defenders estimate that approximately 300 people remain in detention on politically motivated charges. These include human rights defenders, journalists, and environmental, political and other activists prosecuted under fabricated and/or politically motivated charges in retaliation for their criticism of the authorities. For example, prominent human rights defender and climate advocate Anar Mammadli has been in pre-trial detention since 30 April 2024 on bogus charges of conspiracy to bring illegal foreign currency into the country.
Economist and political activist Gubad Ibadoghlu was moved to house arrest on 22 April 2024 after 274 days in detention. Opposition figure Tofig Yagublu has been in pre-trail detention since 15 December 2023 on spurious fraud and forgery charges. Also among the detained are: Ulvi Hasanli, Ilhamiz Guliyev, Mahammad Kekelov, Sevinj Vagifgyzy, Elnara Gasimova, Nargiz Absalamova Hafiz Babali, Imran Aliyev, Shamo Eminov, Teymur Karimov, Arshad Ibrahimov, Ibrahim Humbatov, Alasgar Mammadli, Mushfig Jabbar, Akif Gubanov, Ruslan Izzatli, Ramil Babayev Ali Zeynalov, Afiaddin Mammadov and Bakhtiyar Hajiyev.