‘The state plans to end my life’ — Bahruz Samadov calls for solidarity in prison letter
In an appeal shared from prison, Azerbaijani researcher and OC Media contributor Bahruz Samadov warned that Baku may try to end his life.
Bahruz Samadov was sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of treason in June 2025.
An academic and a regular contributor to OC Media, Samadov frequently wrote about the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the deepening authoritarianism in Azerbaijan following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
On Saturday, he shared a letter from prison. OC Media has published the letter in full below:
An appeal from imprisoned dissident Bahruz Samadov to the leaders of democratic states, parties adhering to democratic principles, international organisations, progressive intellectuals, universities, academic communities, and the diplomatic corps of Western states accredited in Baku, Azerbaijan.
I appeal to you as an imprisoned dissident, a doctoral student in political science who is imprisoned in Azerbaijan, sentenced to 15 years for critical views and holding a peaceful position. The state has accused me of ‘high treason’ and ‘spying’ for Armenian intelligence agencies — while I had been living, studying, and working in Europe for the last six years until my arrest in August 2024. Despite the numerous calls from the international community, including petitions, personal appeals to President Ilham Aliyev, and the December 2025 resolution of the EU Parliament, the decision makers in Baku have overlooked them to the degree that I was placed in a disciplinary cell in October 2025 for two months.
Currently, the court in Baku is going to send me to a closed prison on the outskirts of Baku, where I will be deprived of the means of communication with my only living close relative and my lawyer. This notorious closed prison [houses] the most dangerous criminals — the very fact they are sending me there is an alarming signal. I have legitimate concerns that the state plans to physically end my life using someone else’s hands.
My imprisonment contradicts the Washington agreement signed in August 2025 where [Armenia and Azerbaijan] took the responsibility of following the peace agenda. Their attitude violates the conventions Azerbaijan has joined. It is immoral, inhumane, lawless, and evil.
Therefore, I ask all of you to raise your voices to stop their evil aspirations. I have been enjoying the solidarity campaign and receiving hundreds of letters. I have been informed about campaigns, calls, and articles. But the Azerbaijani government has ignored all such calls.
All legal and political ends have led to nothing, having no visible effects on decision makers.
Now I appeal to everyone who stands for human dignity: do not leave me alone. Act in all possible ways. I do believe in the power of international solidarity.
Do everything in your hands to save my life and to stop [this] evil.
Yousef Bardouka
