2024-11-12 06:50:00
Representatives from nearly 200 countries and hundreds of journalists arrived in Azerbaijan in November for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), bringing with them a level of scrutiny that their hosts were not accustomed to and would not tolerate.
Azerbaijan has a poor human rights record over the years, with the government regularly attacking independent journalists, activists and politicians. Rights groups have accused President Ilham Aliyev and his government of spearheading an intensifying crackdown on free speech ahead of the climate summit, including targeting climate activists and journalists.
Aliyev’s father, Haidar, ruled Azerbaijan from 1993 until his death in 2003, when his son succeeded him. Both countries stifle dissent as the Caspian Sea nation of nearly 10 million people enjoys growing wealth thanks to vast oil and gas reserves.
Elections held since independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s are not considered entirely free or fair. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the most recent parliamentary elections in September were held in a “restrictive” environment. The turnout for these elections was 37%, and no opposition party won a seat.
Human Rights Watch said a “vicious” crackdown on journalists and human rights activists has intensified over the past two years, with trumped-up criminal charges against critics and highly restrictive laws making it difficult for media organizations and activists to do their jobs.
Ahead of COP29, authorities extended the preventive detention of at least 11 journalists from the country’s few remaining independent media outlets on suspicion of currency smuggling linked to funds provided by Western donors.
Azerbaijani government officials did not respond to multiple interview requests from The Associated Press or comment on its actions.
Here are five Baku critics currently detained:
Ulvi Hassanli and Sevni Vagivz
Hasalni and Vagifgizi are journalists and directors at independent digital media outlet Abzas Media. Abzas Media investigated reports of protests and pollution at gold mines in the country’s west, reconstruction of the Karabakh region and allegations of corruption against senior officials.
Hassanli and Vagivzhi were arrested in November 2023, along with four other colleagues. Journalists denied the accusations and Hassanli said the money was just there.
“That’s why they decided to eliminate Ulvi and his team … to make sure they never reveal their crimes again,” Hassanli’s wife, Rubaba Guliyeva, told The Associated Press.
Hassanli and Vagivzhi are being held in Baku with no trial date. Gulyeva called their conditions “extremely bad” and said she saw bruises on her husband’s body and told him their meetings and phone calls were monitored. He added that Hassanli was able to visit her two-year-old daughter briefly but was distressed when she was away.
Vagivzhi’s mother, Ophelia Maharamova, said there was not enough water in the prison to drink. He said prisoners’ “hair is falling out and their teeth are rotting.”
Her mother noted that despite being imprisoned, Vagifqiz continued to ask what investigative reports were published by Abbas media. “It makes her feel motivated,” he said.
Gulyeva said countries should boycott COP29 due to the country’s poor human rights record.
Ibadoglu, an academic and economist at the London School of Economics, was detained in Azerbaijan in July 2023.
He was accused of selling counterfeit currency, but his children deny the charges. They believe he was singled out because of his investigation into corruption in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industry and because he is an opposition figure. Furthermore, they explained that he created a charity in the UK that worked with the UK Home Office to try to divert money confiscated by the National Crime Agency from wealthy Azerbaijanis to charities to help the population.
Ibadoglu is also chairman of the Azerbaijan Movement for Democracy and Prosperity, which has been denied registration as a political party.
Her son Emin Bayramov told The Associated Press that his father was arrested by unidentified police officers who beat his mother when she asked them who they were. Ibadoglu had health problems, including diabetes, and his family said he was denied medical care. Another son, Ibad Bayramov, told The Associated Press that the International Committee of the Red Cross tried to visit him four times but was not allowed.
There is also no trial date for Ibadoglu. His children accused the government of delaying it until after the climate summit to avoid negative publicity.
Emin Bayramov said it was “a shame for the international community” that Azerbaijan suppressed freedom of expression while hosting the 29th Conference of the Parties.
Mammadli, a climate and human rights activist, was arrested by masked men in Baku in April while picking up her son from daycare. He has also been accused of smuggling and attempting to smuggle money into Azerbaijan, charges he denies.
He leads an elections and democracy monitoring group that co-founded the Climate Justice Initiative in Azerbaijan. In an open letter, the organizations described the country as “one of the most serious political and civil liberties problems in Europe”.
Azerbaijan has not yet implemented a systematic policy to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the groups said. They added that their emissions continued to increase and oil production polluted the land.
Human Rights Watch said Mamadli has been a leading defender of human rights in the country and has drawn attention to violations of “fundamental freedoms.” He called for freedom for political prisoners and an improved legal and political environment for human rights activists.
In a previous case, Mammadli was sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2014 for tax evasion, illegal business operations and abuse of power. Amnesty International said the charges were trumped up and following his conviction he was awarded the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. He was pardoned in 2016.
Like the others, Mamadli is in jail awaiting trial.
Gurbanov is chairman of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, an independent organization dedicated to developing a more open society through democratic initiatives such as training young journalists, human rights defenders and economists.
He was arrested in March after police searched his home and raided the IDI offices. Police later charged him and others with currency smuggling. At the same time, authorities raided the offices of Toplum TV, an online news platform co-founded by Gurbanov, and Platform III Republic, a civil society organization.
According to Human Rights Watch, Toplum TV works with other organizations to train young journalists. The Third Republic Program is an organization that promotes discussions on national politics and good governance and proposes strategies for the country’s future development.
Gurbanov’s wife, Ayan Musayeva, told The Associated Press that he was arrested for “defending human rights, providing alternative information, and telling the truth.”
He said countries participating in COP29 in Baku should call for his immediate release and “all other political prisoners in Azerbaijan”.
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AP’s climate and environment coverage is supported by several private foundations. The Associated Press is solely responsible for its content.
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This story was translated from English by AP editors with the help of generated artificial intelligence tools.
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**Interview with Rachel Thompson, Human Rights Advocate, on the COP29 Situation in Azerbaijan**
**Interviewer:** Rachel, thank you for joining us today. With COP29 underway in Azerbaijan, can you provide your insights on the human rights situation amidst the climate discussions?
**Rachel Thompson:** Thank you for having me. It’s vital that we look beyond just environmental issues at COP29. The human rights situation in Azerbaijan is alarming—there’s an intensifying crackdown on free speech and various forms of dissent. This backdrop is critical as representatives from nearly 200 countries gather to discuss climate change.
**Interviewer:** What specific actions have the Azerbaijani authorities taken against journalists and activists leading up to COP29?
**Rachel Thompson:** We’ve seen a concerning pattern. For instance, at least 11 journalists from independent media outlets were detained just before the summit. Authorities have accused them of currency smuggling, but many believe these charges are fabricated. This is a clear attempt to silence those who might expose environmental and governmental abuses during a time when international scrutiny is at its peak.
**Interviewer:** How does this crackdown relate to the ongoing climate discussions?
**Rachel Thompson:** It directly impacts how environmental issues are addressed. Activists like Ulvi Hassanli and Sevni Vagivz, who investigated pollution and corruption linked to Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industry, are currently detained. Their work is essential for understanding the environmental implications of the government’s actions. If these voices are silenced, it hampers transparency and accountability, crucial components of any climate action.
**Interviewer:** What does this mean for international delegations attending COP29?
**Rachel Thompson:** It’s a significant dilemma. Participating in COP29 while overlooking the human rights abuses could be seen as endorsing these practices. Some activists and rights groups are calling for countries to boycott the conference. There’s a growing awareness that effective climate action cannot occur in a vacuum—human rights and environmental sustainability are inherently interconnected.
**Interviewer:** Given the conditions of those detained like Hasanli, Vagivz, and Mammadli, what can the international community do?
**Rachel Thompson:** The international community must exert pressure on the Azerbaijani government—diplomatic interventions are critical. Governments should publicly demand the release of political prisoners and journalists. Advocating for comprehensive human rights assessments during COP29 can also highlight the inconsistencies in Azerbaijan’s claims of being a responsible global actor on climate change.
**Interviewer:** as the climate summit progresses, what is your hope for the outcomes regarding both climate and human rights?
**Rachel Thompson:** My hope is that attendees recognize the dual crisis we’re facing—environmental degradation coupled with the suppression of fundamental human rights. There needs to be a call not just for climate action, but for a commitment to uphold human rights as an essential part of any sustainable development agenda. We can’t afford to let progress in one field come at the expense of the other.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Rachel, for shining a light on these pressing issues. Your insights are invaluable as the world turns its attention to COP29.
**Rachel Thompson:** Thank you for having me. It’s crucial we keep these conversations alive.
