Azerbaijan: Recent arrests bring number of journalists in jail to over 20
“Azerbaijani authorities must immediately release journalists in prison and end this wave of oppression against independent media” – IPI
Azerbaijani journalist faces 12 years in prison if convicted in foreign funding case
“Veteran journalist Shahnaz Baylargizi’s arrest underscores how Azerbaijani authorities are exploiting allegations of Western funding to silence leading independent voices” – CPJ
COP29: EU should hold Azerbaijan to account over rights abuses
“At least 15 Azerbaijani journalists have been arrested since November 2023 and currently await trial on charges that could see them jailed for between eight and 20 years. Thirteen of them remain in pre-trial detention.”
Azerbaijani authorities escalate attacks on critics and civil society
Azerbaijani authorities have used politically motivated, bogus criminal charges to prosecute and imprison activists, journalists, and human rights defenders ahead of COP29 in November.
Q&A: The human rights issues at stake in COP29
HRW presents a Q&A focusing on the human rights implications of COP29 and the human rights concerns associated with holding the conference in a repressive state that relies heavily on fossil fuels.
Azerbaijan: Civil society groups highlight climate and human rights concerns ahead of COP29
“Hundreds of people are behind bars in the country on politically motivated charges. A new wave of detentions is currently underway, with dozens of activists and media figures arrested on baseless, serious criminal charges.”
Azerbaijani authorities escalate crackdown on critics ahead of COP29
“Azerbaijan’s hostility towards independent civic activism raises serious concerns about whether human rights defenders, academics, journalists, and other independent members of civil society will be able to participate meaningfully at COP29″ – HRW
Hosting of UN climate summits by authoritarian countries raises alarms over human rights
Rights groups urge the UN to ensure that future climate summits are held in countries that respect human rights and allow for peaceful assembly and free speech.
Georgia: Release Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov and stop his extradition to Azerbaijan
Afgan Sadygov moved to Georgia seven months ago to escape persecution by the authorities in his own country, where he has been arrested several times on various dubious charges.
Azerbaijan should release all jailed journalists and activists
EFJ adds its voice to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights’s call for the release of journalists and civil society activists imprisoned in Azerbaijan for their legitimate work.
Azerbaijan: Silencing media ahead of the presidential elections
Since the Azerbaijani government began its campaign of intimidation on 20 November 2023, at least 13 journalists have been arrested, 11 of whom are still behind bars.
Azerbaijan: Six journalists arrested in two weeks
The hunt for journalists from the few remaining independent media operating in Azerbaijan continues.
Hitmen sent to kill Azerbaijani blogger in France
“Everything seems to indicate that this was yet another attempt to murder Mahammad Mirzali … A hit squad was sent from abroad to target a blogger who was given political asylum in France because of his criticism of Ilham Aliyev. This case must be addressed at the highest state level.” – RSF
Azerbaijan: Journalist and her daughter threatened over trial coverage
On 8 May, freelance journalist Ayten Mammadova was threatened by a knife-wielding man in the elevator of her apartment block. The man demanded that she stop writing about a trial she was covering, and warned that if she didn’t he would ‘deal’ with her daughter.