30.09.2024



Center for National and International Studies

FB Digest@VoxPOPULI

 

“International events like COP29 should not be used to gloss over the repressions of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime. Instead, attendees—politicians, activists and journalists—discussing climate change in Baku should also raise awareness of the political prisoners unjustly detained and suffering in Azerbaijan’s prisons.”

(Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms

Azerbaijani political refugee Vidadi Isgandarli, who resides in France, was attacked on Sunday and is in critical condition. Exiled journalist Ganimat Zahid reported this on his social media account:

“Vidadi Isgandarli, who lives in the city of Mulhouse in France, was attacked by unknown individuals this morning. The attackers broke the window of his home around 7:30 a.m. and entered, inflicting multiple stab wounds on Vidadi Isgandarli. He is currently in intensive care, and his condition is considered critical.”

Detained young scholar Bahruz Samadov‘s grandmother, Zibeyda Osmanova, has expressed her concerns about her grandson. According to her, Samadov was subjected to violence on the day of his arrest (August 21) while in detention at the State Security Service (DTX) facility. He had requested a Bible from the DTX officers to read, but was beaten in response. He was later examined by a doctor. Samadov says that despite having numerous signs of physical abuse on his body (bruises, redness), the doctor left, claiming there was “nothing.” Samadov also states that his lawyer is not allowed to convey messages of support written about him on social media. He mentions that he is being held in complete isolation. Additionally, Samadov says he wanted to write a letter to his classmates in the Czech Republic but was denied permission to do so.

Political prisoner and member of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP) Alizamin Salayev‘s health has worsened in prison. According to his family, during his phone call, he shared the following: “For two days now, I haven’t been able to bring down my fever; I have a cold,  flu, fever, and coughing for days. More than half of the inmates at the penal colony are suffering from this illness, just like me. You can’t find the doctors at their workplaces, and when you do, they say there are no medications. We don’t even have aspirin. The situation in the prison is critical—we are dying here, and no one is paying attention.”

On September 26, the trial of disabled activist Famil Khalilov took place at the Baku Court of Serious Crimes. Khalilov, a first-degree disabled person, previously fled to Sweden in 2015 due to concerns for his safety. He lived there for nearly eight years with his wife and children before being readmitted to Azerbaijan in 2023. On May 2 of this year, he was arrested and charged under Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code, which relates to the preparation, transportation, and storage of large quantities of narcotics with intent to sell. Khalilov, however, denies the charges and has been on a hunger strike for 44 days in protest of what he claims is a false accusation. During the trial, Khalilov stated that his arrest was fabricated. He mentioned that he was arrested at home, but the case materials falsely claim he was apprehended on the street—a location he says he has never visited. After being deported from Sweden, he largely remained at home and never left. The police conducted a search of his house without presenting a court warrant and reportedly took him upstairs, where they allegedly “found” a white substance, which was labeled as drugs. Khalilov disputes this, noting that the police report inaccurately claims the narcotics were discovered in his pocket. He explained that since 2005, all his pants and shorts pockets have been sewn shut because his hands are paralyzed, meaning he is physically unable to place anything in his pockets. In court, Khalilov also revealed that he had not signed any documents during his time in police custody because he was physically unable to. He had authorized his mother and wife to sign on his behalf. During his testimony, he stated that he had been posting critical content about the government on social media, which he wrote using his toes due to his paralysis. Despite his disability, a social worker has yet to be assigned to assist him in prison, and Khalilov continues his hunger strike to protest his “unlawful detention.” The court session ended with the next hearing scheduled for October 24.

On September 27, the trial of the imprisoned journalist Teymur Karimov, head of “Kanal 11” Internet Television, continued at the Baku Serious Crimes Court. During the hearing, the testimony of the alleged victim, Farrukh Alekperov, was heard. According to Karimov’s lawyer, Nemat Karimli, the judge interfered with the free testimony of the victim, prompting the defense to file a protest against the judicial panel. Teymur Karimov was arrested in December 2022 by the Narimanov District Court in Baku. He is facing charges under Articles 182.2.1 (extortion by a group of individuals in a premeditated manner), 182.2.2, and 182.2.4 of the Criminal Code. Karimov has been recognized as a political prisoner by local human rights organizations.

Currently, more than 20 journalists and bloggers are incarcerated in Azerbaijan. Both local and international organizations, including the U.S. State Department, have issued statements condemning the imprisonment of journalists and calling on the Azerbaijani authorities to halt the persecution of independent media and critical voices.

On September 27, the trial of Tofig Yagublu, a member of the National Council and the Musavat Party, took place at the Baku Serious Crimes Court. The judge opposed the questioning of defense witnesses, to which Tofig Yagublu strongly objected. Yagublu was arrested on December 14 of last year and faces charges under Article 178.3.2 (fraud causing large-scale damage), Article 320.1 (forgery or illegal preparation and sale of official documents, state awards, stamps, seals, or forms), and Article 320.2 (use of knowingly forged documents) of the Criminal Code. Yagublu denies all the allegations, considering his arrest politically motivated and the charges fabricated. Both local and international organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner.

Former MP, economist, and businessman Nazim Baydamirli has been sentenced to 8 years in prison. In his final statement at the court, he expressed the following: “During the Soyudlu events, I made statements in the media. I have never aligned myself with either the government or the opposition; I have always been an independent economist. The videos that circulated during the Soyudlu events were unpleasant. It is not right to use gas on the elderly or strike them with batons. The police are part of Azerbaijan’s state institutions, and I have never made provocative statements. Despite this, I was portrayed as an organizer on AzTV without the knowledge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. What guilt am I paying for during these months, and for whom? Despite all of this, I have not accepted my arrest as a political order. The term ‘political prisoner’ is used by local and international organizations as a pressure tool against our country. I do not find it pleasant that my name is on that list. Nevertheless, I am grateful to everyone who supports me. I seek acquittal, not compensation from the state. Just because something I wrote displeased someone doesn’t mean I was opposing the state. I forgive them all. No one in Azerbaijan can say or believe that Nazim Baydamirli committed this crime. Being kept away from my family for 15 months is a moral torment and torture. If I had even slightly violated the unwritten laws, I wouldn’t be able to look anyone in the eye.”

Governance and Corruption

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev held a meeting with the ministers, and in the video from the session, it was noticeable that his son, Heydar Aliyev, was seated in the chair typically reserved for the second vice-president. According to protocol, during official meetings, the prime minister and their deputies sit to the president’s left, while vice presidents sit to the right. As the First Vice-President, the president’s wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, was seated in the first position; Heydar Aliyev‘s placement suggests he occupied the seat meant for the second vice-president. 27-year-old Heydar Aliyev’s participation in an economic advisory meeting sparked questions about his growing political influence and potential role in the country’s future politics. Heydar Aliyev‘s presence at the meeting, where key economic issues were discussed, has attracted attention as it may signal a strategic move by the ruling family to prepare him for a more significant political role. Given Azerbaijan’s political structure, where power has often remained within the Aliyev family, such participation could be interpreted as a precursor to future leadership responsibilities. The younger Aliyev‘s involvement in high-level discussions suggests that he is being groomed for a more prominent position in the government, possibly even as a successor to his father. This has led to speculation that Azerbaijan may be witnessing the beginning of a new phase of dynastic politics, in which Heydar Aliyev will play a central role in shaping the country’s political and economic landscape in the coming years. Observers have noted that Heydar Aliyev’s increasing visibility could be part of a long-term strategy to ensure the continuity of power within the family. His participation in these meetings also raises the question of whether he will be formally introduced into the political sphere through an official appointment or further involvement in state affairs. His future role could influence the direction of Azerbaijan’s governance and its policies, potentially affecting regional dynamics as well. President Ilham Aliyev himself began participating in official meetings and gradually took on formal roles, ultimately becoming the president of Azerbaijan just within a few months after the death of his father, the then-president Heydar Aliyev, in 2003.

Ali Karimli, the Chairperson of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP), penned an article for The Economist titled “COP29 is Greenwashing a Dictatorship.” In it, Azerbaijan’s leading opposition figure critiques the hypocrisy of hosting the climate conference in a petrostate where dissent is suppressed. Karimli argues that Azerbaijan stands at a crucial crossroads; if granted genuine freedom, the majority of Azerbaijanis would choose to pursue democratization, drawing inspiration from the nation’s parliamentary democracy established in 1918. “The country’s serious environmental issues have never been a priority for the regime,” said Karimli. He argues that president “Aliyev is interested in laundering his reputation, which has been stained by two decades of authoritarian rule, blatant corruption (repeatedly exposed through diligent work of brave investigative journalists and via Wikileaks and the Panama Papers), and a disdain for the human rights and political liberties of the citizens of Azerbaijan. It certainly does not help his global image that in February this year Mr Aliyev declared himself, through blatantly fraudulent elections, president for the fifth consecutive time.” Karimli said that his Party believes that an international event like “COP29 should not be used to gloss over the repressions of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime. Instead, attendees—politicians, activists and journalists—discussing climate change in Baku should also raise awareness of the political prisoners unjustly detained and suffering in Azerbaijan’s prisons. Azerbaijan is at a pivotal moment. If allowed true freedom, most Azerbaijanis would opt for democratisation, rooted in the nation’s 1918 parliamentary democracy, before it was incorporated into the Soviet Union. The people seek free elections and the rule of law, yet the authoritarian Aliyev regime instead stifles dissent through mass arrests, bringing Azerbaijan ever closer to Russia and the club of authoritarian heads of state. Azerbaijan’s democratic forces call on the global community not to ignore their fight for democracy and human rights.”


October 1, 2024