At the 15th Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) Annual Assembly, held in Brussels in November 2023, participants adopted a resolution highlighting the ongoing, decade-long suppression of Azerbaijani civil society. The resolution, titled "Cooperation, Security, and Democracy: Making a Multi-Speed Eastern Partnership Work," expressed concern over the increased repression of journalists, environmental defenders, trade unionists, the political opposition and prisoners of conscience in Azerbaijan. According to civil society estimates, the number of political prisoners in the country has doubled since early 2023, rising to over 200.
The resolution called on Azerbaijan to release political prisoners and create an enabling environment for civil society, in line with its obligations as a Council of Europe member state. It also called on the European Union to “prioritise democratic governance, human rights, and the rule of law over short-term interests” when engaging with the government of Azerbaijan, stressing that “neglecting respect for human rights in favour of short term interests, including energy supplies, can only embolden authoritarian regimes and undermine efforts to promote peace and democracy.”
Also in November, the National Council of Democratic Forces of Azerbaijan, an opposition alliance, published a protest note to the authorities regarding the increasing repression against critical voices in the country, calling on them to stop the pressure and harassment against journalists, political leaders and activists. The note also addressed Azerbaijan’s external partners, demanding that they end their acceptance of the Azerbaijani government’s repressive policies.
Freedom of peaceful assembly
Protest in support of Gubad Ibadoglu takes place in Baku
In December, Turan Press Agency reported that Gubad Ibadoglu, a well-known economist, anti-corruption activist and opposition leader, was once again denied a transfer to hospital despite his deteriorating health.
As CIVICUS Monitor previously reported, Ibadoglu was arrested in July 2023 on spurious charges together with his wife Irada Bayramova. Ibadoglu was held in pre-trial detention, while Bayramova was released shortly afterwards with visible injuries. She reported that they were both beaten in custody and that she was prevented from giving him his medication. 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 have requested that he be transferred to the prison hospital and receive medical care there, but the authorities have repeatedly denied this request.
In September, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for his immediate release, and the European Court of Human Rights adopted temporary interim measures ordering the Azerbaijani government to ensure the protection of his health.
At the beginning of November, some supporters of Gubad Ibadoglu protested in front of the Court of Appeal following a decision to deny his release on bail. According to the Turan Press Agency, supporters of the Democracy and Prosperity Movement, of which Gubad Ibadoglu is the chairman, chanted slogans calling for his release, but also that of other activists and political prisoners who have been detained and imprisoned by the authorities.
Freedom of expression
Ongoing crackdown on journalists: Director of Abzas Media and five others arrested
On 20th November 2023, Azerbaijani authorities arrested Ulvi Hasanli, the director of Abzas Media, an online news agency known for its independent and critical reporting. According to a statement from Abzas Media, Hasanli’s arrest was related to its investigation into corruption involving the president and high-ranking government officials. Following his arrest, law enforcement authorities searched both his home and the headquarters of Abzas Media, where they allegedly found EUR 40,000 in cash. The authorities accused Hasanli of illegally smuggling foreign currency into the country, a charge that can lead to a prison sentence of up to eight years under Azerbaijani law.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned Hasanli’s detention, calling it part of a broader campaign to silence independent journalism in Azerbaijan. CPJ demanded an immediate end to harassment against journalists and urged the Azerbaijani government to allow reporters to carry out their work without fear of reprisals.
Hasanli’s case is not isolated. In the days following his arrest, the Azerbaijani authorities detained at least five other journalists, including Abzas Media journalists Sevinj Vagifgizi, Mahammad Kekalov and Nargiz Absalamova, as well as Aziz Orujov, the head of Internet television station Channel 13. On 1st December 2023, Turan News Agency reported on the arrests, and Radio Free Europe confirmed that Rufat Muradli, a presenter for Channel 13, was the sixth journalist to be arrested in a fortnight. These arrests are part of a growing crackdown on critical voices in the country, where journalists, human rights defenders and activists are under increasing pressure.
The Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum also issued a statement condemning the arrests, calling on Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release not only Ulvi Hasanli but also other journalists and activists, including Sevinj Vagifqizi, Mahammad Kekalov, Gubad Ibadoglu, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, and other political prisoners currently held in detention. The ongoing repression has drawn widespread international condemnation, highlighting the dire state of freedom of expression and media in Azerbaijan.