Number of political prisoners reported to be 304 marking historical anti-record

Union for Freedom of Political Prisoners reports over 300 political detainees in Azerbaijan

On 14th June, the local human rights group, the Union For Freedom of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan, released its latest list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. According to the report, at least 304 people have been imprisoned for political reasons, with 16 new faces added since its last update in March 2023. This marks the first time since the early 2000s that the number has surpassed 300, indicating a worsening human rights situation in Azerbaijan.

Human rights group highlights judicial bias in politically motivated arrests

A member of the Union underscored the politically motivated nature of these arrests, pointing out that they are often conducted illegally and supported by biased courts that merely rubber-stamp police charges. He criticized the judiciary for ignoring Article 125 of the Constitution, which mandates impartiality and fairness. He highlighted the inconsistency in judicial treatment by comparing the harsh penalties faced by political activists with the leniency shown to serious offenders. “For instance, after a deadly fire at the Republican Maternity Hospital in January 2024, the responsible management was placed under house arrest. In contrast, activists and bloggers critical of the government are imprisoned without such consideration, starkly revealing the biased nature of the judicial system in Azerbaijan.”