Caspian Wire: Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Crisis Intensifies | October 2024
Political prisoners face further mistreatment after reporting abuse and misconduct
Emerging reports indicate the further mistreatment political prisoners face in prison in Azerbaijan in relation to reporting abuse and misconduct. Recent reports from various sources highlight disturbing cases of inhumane treatment some journalists faced following their reports to the outside world exposing prison authorities – especially the Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre’s misconduct.
On October 24, Khatai District Court in Baku rejected a complaint by investigative journalist in prison – Ulvi Hasanli. Per the complaint, Ulvi Hasanli, the director of Abzas Media, has faced severe mistreatment after publicly exposing torture within the Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre. His wife, Rubaba Guliyeva, detailed instances of physical violence against him, including being violently slammed against a wall by prison guards, resulting in injuries that remain unaddressed despite his complaints. Family visits have also been marred by hostility, with reports of physical and psychological intimidation directed at family members during these encounters. Similarly, Sevinj Vagifgızı, editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, has been denied the right to meet with her mother after she exposed the illegal involvement of foreign prisoners in the snap Parliamentary Elections held on October 1 2024. Her mother revealed that authorities, namely Elnur Ismayilov – the head of the Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre, explicitly cited Sevinc’s reporting as the reason for this arbitrary punishment, indicating a pattern of retaliation against dissenting voices. Both journalists have been in prison since November 2023 on smuggling charges whereas both defendants and human rights groups regard the case as politically motivated, aimed at muzzling critical journalistic investigative work of the outlet.
Journalist Ali Zeynalov, who was arrested in connection with the Toplum TV case, faced physical abuse at the Baku Court of Appeal on October 10, as reported by his lawyer, Fariz Namazli. Accordingly, Zeynalov was forced to wait long hours while handcuffed before his hearing. His colleagues believe this treatment is retaliation for his comments during the court session on October 3, where he explicitly mentioned President Ilham Aliyev for ordering his arrest. More recently, in June 2024, the III Republic Platform raised concerns about threats against its imprisoned leader, Akif Gurbanov, and other detainees at the Baku Pre-Trial Detention Center. A high-ranking state official reportedly pressured Gurbanov to halt accusatory statements against the president, threatening him with torture otherwise. The Platform stated that other individuals involved in the ‘Toplum TV’ case are also facing intimidation. The Penitentiary Service unanimously dismisses the allegations of torture unfounded, denying any mistreatment despite the growing number of credible reports.
On October 3, the Khatai District Court extended the detention period for other employees and associates of Toplum TV and the III Republic Platform, who have been held in pre-trial detention since March 2024, by an additional three months. On October 4, the International Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the extension of detention for journalists from four media organisations in Azerbaijan—Abzas Media, Toplum TV, Channel-13, and Meclis.info—over the past 11 weeks.
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.
International Calls Intensify to Respect Human Rights As COP29 Approaches
As Azerbaijan prepares to host the 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) it is facing intensifying criticism for neglecting vital human rights issues, where political repression is widespread. According to Human Rights Watch, the final agreement from COP29 lacks substantial provisions concerning human rights violations, disregarding numerous appeals from international actors to confront the troubling situation in Azerbaijan, where civil society activists and independent journalists are at significant risk.
In the most recent move, On October 24, European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia strongly condemning the authorities for the dire human rights situation and calling for considering sanctions and EU institutions to suspend energy trade agreements with Baku.
Azerbaijan’s treatment of political prisoners and dissenters has drawn increasing scrutiny from other global human rights organisations as well, including joint and separate calls by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Freedom Now, Freedom House and others. These groups have urgently appealed to the Azerbaijani government to release political prisoners and halt its repression of dissent. Notable voices, such as the European Union, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), U.S. lawmakers, and UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, have joined the chorus calling for the release of political prisoners and respect for human rights in Azerbaijan.
Despite these calls, the human rights situation in Azerbaijan shows little improvement, with reports indicating that the number of political prisoners remains above 300. Authorities have not expressed any formal commitment to reform, and the atmosphere remains tense, with activists facing travel bans and many prisoners expecting lengthy sentences. As the conference draws to a close, the future of international solidarity on human rights appears uncertain. Concerns abound that without concrete measures to address these violations, the voices of political prisoners and civil society in Azerbaijan and beyond will go unheard, further entrenching authoritarian control.