Political Prisoners

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Gubad Ibadoghlu (centre) with two of his lawyers, Bahruz Bayramov and Zibeyda Sadigova upon his release.

Azerbaijan

Gubad Ibadoghlu released to house arrest

by Aytan Farhadova

•1 min read

Imprisoned Azerbaijani economist and political activist Gubad Ibadoghlu has been released to house arrest, as his health has reportedly continued to deteriorate. According to pro-government news agency APA, the Narimanov District Court took the decision on Monday afternoon. Ibadoghlu is a prominent government critic and anti-corruption campaigner and is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics. Ibadoghlu suffers from a number of serious health issues, including diabetes a

Azerbaijan

Baku accuses West of interfering in its affairs by funding AbzasMedia

by Ismi Aghayev

•2 min read

Azerbaijan has accused the US, France, and Germany of interfering in the country’s internal affairs by funding AbzasMedia, an independent news outlet raided by the police last week. On Tuesday, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned French Ambassador Anne Boillon, German Ambassador Ralf Horlemann, and acting US Ambassador Hugo Guevara to discuss their countries’ funding of AbzasMedia. According to their statement, during the meetings the ministry accused the United States Agen

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani activist given 30-day sentence ‘for criticising president online’

by Ismi Aghayev

•1 min read

Azerbaijani activist Mohyeddin Orujov has been sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention, allegedly for making a post on social media criticising President Ilham Aliyev. Orujov’s brother, Nizami Orujov, told OC Media that his brother was sentenced on 19 October, a day after being detained. Orujov has been charged with petty hooliganism and resisting the police. The activist’s brother also claimed that Orujov was harassed and beaten at the police station that he was taken to. Niza

Azerbaijan

Third Gubad Ibadoghlu associate convicted in less than a month

by Ismi Aghayev

•1 min read

A third member of imprisoned Azerbaijani opposition figure Gubad Ibadoghlu’s Democracy and Prosperity party has reportedly been sentenced to 30 days administrative arrest, the third to be charged in less than a month. Huseyn Malik was detained on Tuesday, according to the deputy chair of the party, Adalat Yusub. Yusub stated that Malik was detained for making statements critical of the government on social media. He was sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest on charges of petty hoo

Azerbaijan

Only two political activists amongst 800 pardoned in Azerbaijan

by Ismi Aghayev

•2 min read

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has pardoned 801 people to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev, his father and the previous President of Azerbaijan. Monday’s pardons represent the highest number issued in one order in Azerbaijan’s post-independence history. Of the 801 pardons, 463 individuals were released from prison, 220 had their sentences halved, and 118 were released from punishments other than imprisonment: restriction of liberty, correctional works, fines, a

Azerbaijan

Court denies bail to Azerbaijani activist despite ‘deteriorating health’

by Ismi Aghayev

•2 min read

The Baku Court of Appeal has rejected a request by Azerbaijani social activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev — who remains on hunger strike — to be released on bail. On Tuesday, the court ruled to uphold his pre-trial detention until 28 February. Hajiyev was arrested on 9 December and charged with hooliganism, charges local and international rights groups have described as politically motivated. According to Hajiyev’s lawyer Rovshana Rahimli, Bakhtiyar’s health continues to deteriorate. She said he was

Azerbaijan

Protest in Azerbaijani by relatives of detained activists deported from Germany

by Ismi Aghayev

•1 min read

Relatives of several Azerbaijanis who were deported from Germany before being arrested upon their return have held a demonstration in Baku. On Tuesday, around a dozen people gathered outside the German Embassy. The demonstration was broken up by Azerbaijani police soon after it began. According to protesters, six asylum seekers were deported from Germany and then arrested over the past year, and their families are demanding they be given a fair and open trial. The protesters also said they w