Azerbaijani exile Vidadi Isgandarli killed in France amid concerns of political retaliation

On October 1, 2024, Azerbaijani dissident and former prosecutor Vidadi Isgandarli died in a hospital in Mulhouse, France, following a brutal attack in his apartment on September 29. The 62-year-old, known for his outspoken criticism of the Azerbaijani regime, was reportedly stabbed multiple times by three masked individuals. Oktay Iskandarli stated that the French prosecutor’s office and police are investigating the murder of his brother, Vidadi Iskanderli, with one theory suggesting that professional hitmen executed the crime, as no valuables, including his computer, phone, or money, were taken from the scene. 

Isgandarli, who had been living in France as a political refugee since 2017, was an active blogger and advocate for human rights, regularly criticising President Ilham Aliyev’s government. His death raises grave concerns about the safety of political refugees, especially as this follows several similar incidents across Europe in recent years. Amnesty International and other rights groups have called for a thorough investigation, urging French authorities to consider all possible motives, including political retaliation. 

The attack, which occurred on September 29, is the latest in a series of targeted attacks against exiled Azerbaijani opposition figures. Azerbaijani authorities have previously been accused of similar attacks on exiled activists as well. In March 2021, Mahammad Mirzali, an Azerbaijani blogger and opposition figure known for his harsh and untamed criticism of authorities in Azerbaijan, was stabbed 16 times in Nantes, France, but survived. Human rights groups in Azerbaijan also voice concerns and demand an investigation into cases of other activists – Bayram Mammadov and Huseyn Bakikhanov who were found dead in Turkey and Georgia, respectively, both in 2021. Moreover, past reports on cases where relatives of outspoken activists face persecution in Azerbaijan in retaliation alarm a long-standing pattern by authorities deployed to muzzle criticism inside and outside Azerbaijan.