Freedom of association
Crackdown continues as prominent democracy activist and election monitor detained
At the end of April, Anar Mammadli, the chairman of the Centre for Election Observation and Democracy Education, was arrested in Baku. Mammadli is a highly respected human rights defender in Azerbaijan, known for his work in the field of election monitoring and as a member of the Human Rights House network. His arrest comes amid increasing pressure on independent media in Azerbaijan, particularly the outlet Abzas Media, an investigative publication whose journalists are currently detained pending trial for illegal money smuggling. These journalists believe that their arrest is politically motivated and stems from their critical reporting on the Azerbaijani government.
On 30 April 2024, the Khatai District Court in Baku ordered Mammadli to be remanded in custody for three months and 28 days. Like the journalists from Abzas Media, he is also accused of smuggling, and is being investigated in connection with their case. Human rights organisations have condemned his detention and called for his immediate release. Mammadli had previously spent more than two years in prison on false charges of tax evasion and illegal entrepreneurship, during which time he was recognised as a prisoner of conscience.
His arrest is part of the increasing repression of civil society in Azerbaijan in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, which will take place in Baku in November 2024. Months before his arrest, Mammadli was one of the co-founders of the “COP29 Climate of Justice” initiative, which wanted to use the conference as a platform to draw attention to the country's environmental and human rights problems.
Gubad Ibadoglu released to house arrest due to failing health
On 22nd April, detained Azerbaijani economist and political activist Gubad Ibadoglu was released into house arrest after 274 days in detention. This is due to the fact that his health has reportedly deteriorated further.
As previously reported, Ibadoglu was arrested in July 2023 on spurious charges together with his wife Irada Bayramova, with both of them reportedly ill-treated while in police custody. While Bayramova was released hours later, her husband has been kept in pre-trial detention ever since. Ibadoglu suffers from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and back pain, for which he does not receive adequate medical care, according to his family. His relatives had repeatedly requested that he be transferred to the prison hospital and receive medical care there, a request which authorities continuously denied.
Despite his release from prison to house arrest, Ibadoglu continues to face charges and is prevented from leaving the country for medical treatment. Amnesty International has called for all charges against him to be dropped and for him to be allowed to leave the country to receive the necessary treatment.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Authorities twice refuse permission for rally in support of political prisoners
In April 2024, the Azerbaijani opposition applied for permission to hold a public rally in Baku to express solidarity with political prisoners and demand fairer elections. The demonstration, which would’ve taken place on 21st April, was also intended to address socio-economic issues such as improving wages and promoting better dialogue with the European Union. However, the Baku city administration refused to authorise the rally.
Following this refusal, the opposition forces submitted a second application with similar demands in May, which was again rejected by the authorities on the grounds that the proposed locations were unsuitable – the stadium was being repaired and there was “heavy traffic of people and vehicles” in the city's squares. The refusal to authorise the demonstration shows that the authorities are not prepared to tolerate dissent, especially when it comes to political freedoms and democratic reforms.
Freedom of expression
Authorities continue to put pressure on critical voices
Between May and June, Azerbaijani authorities continued to escalate their pressure on critical voices. One notable case is that of Alasgar Mammadli, a media lawyer and co-founder of Toplum TV, who has been detained since March. OC Media has reported that Mammadli has been denied necessary medical care, including a biopsy, as his health deteriorates due to a suspected tumour. Despite these health concerns, the authorities refuse to release him or provide proper treatment. As previously reported by the CIVICUS Monitor, Mammadli was arrested in Baku by plainclothes police officers and is accused of smuggling foreign currency, a charge that many believe to be politically motivated.
In May, economist Farid Mehralizade was also arrested in connection with the Abzas Media case. Mehralizade was detained on 30th May and is accused of having links to the publication, although both he and the outlet deny any connection. According to OC Media, he is an economic analyst who is frequently contacted by pro-government media for commentary. Abzas Media, which is now in exile, issued a statement emphasising that they had never worked with Mehralizade and that he had only provided comment to them as “one of hundreds of experts” they had contacted.
His wife told OC Media that police searched their home and confiscated their phones, and that officers put a bag over his head when they arrested him. His arrest is seen as part of a larger effort to silence those who criticise the regime.