Freedom of Association
Pressure on civil society continues
In March 2025, Meydan TV and OC Media published analyses of pressure exerted by the Azerbaijani authorities on civil society. Both outlets highlighted interrogations of civil society activists by the General Prosecutor’s Office. The analyses also noted cases where activists were placed under police surveillance and others sentenced to several months in prison.
According to Meydan TV, activists have faced charges including money laundering, forgery, fraud, abuse of power, and the legalisation of funds or other property obtained by criminal means. If convicted, they could face up to 12 years in prison under the Criminal Code. Most such cases target NGO leaders and officials from international organisations.
A few weeks before the publication of these analyses, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) held hearings on pressure against activists and the politically motivated persecution of civil society. The hearing recorded 331 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, including journalists and activists facing arbitrary detention and prosecution. The Azerbaijani delegation to PACE was reportedly absent from the hearings.
Freedom of Peaceful Assembly
Activist Rauf Heydarov sentenced to 30 days’ detention
On 8th March 2025, International Women’s Day, Azerbaijani queer activist Rauf Heydarov attempted to publicly display a poster featuring the faces of detained female journalists. He was detained and sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention, with access to necessary medical care reportedly denied.
This incident is part of a wider pattern of Azerbaijani authorities suppressing peaceful activism. On the same day, Nida opposition movement members Jamila Alisheva and Elmir Abbasov reported being followed and subsequently detained for several hours. Similarly, queer activist Alex Shah was detained for three hours after being taken from a bus station and having their phone confiscated. These actions reflect ongoing government efforts to stifle dissent and restrict the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Azerbaijan.
Freedom of Expression
Turan News Agency shuts down
Azerbaijan’s Turan News Agency, a historic pillar of independent journalism, closed its office in February 2025. Its website is no longer accessible to the public. Founded in the 1990s, Turan was the last independent news agency operating in the country. For decades, it provided independent reporting and remained one of the few critical voices in the information space. The agency’s management explained that the closure was due to challenges in maintaining independence and securing sufficient financial resources.