FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “Azerbaijan positioning itself as peacemaker but is accused of ethnic cleansing and imprisoning opponents...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Former MP and businessman Nazim Baydamirli is facing a 9-year prison sentence. On September 16, the prosecutor made this request at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, claiming that the former MP's demand for money through blackmail had been proven in court. However, Baydamirli disagrees. Before the prosecutor's statement—when the judge suggested concluding the investigation—he objected, stating that there were...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “The international community should increase pressure on the Azerbaijani government to release 23 journalists and media representatives who are unjustly imprisoned in Azerbaijan...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms The Azerbaijani government has intensified its repression ahead of the COP29 conference to be held in Baku. A young political analyst and PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague, Behruz Samadov, has reportedly been detained. In his articles, Samadov has repeatedly criticized the Azerbaijani government for its authoritarianism and its stance...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “Those who exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, should not be subjected to pressure...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms On August 16, new charges were brought against journalist Nargiz Absalamova, who was involved in the investigation of the "AbzasMedia case." This information was shared by the journalist's lawyer, Shahla Humbatova. "Nargiz Absalamova has been charged under several articles of the Criminal Code, including 192.3.2 (illegal entrepreneurship, especially when committed for substantial profit),...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “The sham presidential election in Azerbaijan on February 7 lacked competition, barred interested parties from participating, and imposed restrictions on freedoms through arbitrary bans…” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Controversial presidential elections of February 7 Ilham Aliyev secured his fifth consecutive term as Azerbaijan's President, gathering 92% of the vote in the Wednesday elections, as announced by Mazahir Panahov, the chief of the Central Election Commission. The snap election was called a year ahead of schedule, following Azerbaijan's...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI “The true heroes of Karabakh remain concealed from the public eye, as there is an effort to construct a false heroic image of Aliyev in order to legitimize his claim over the reclaimed territories…” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Kanan Zeynalov, a 57-year-old member of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) who also serves as the party chairman Ali Karimli’s bodyguard was sentenced to 25 administrative detention. The Surakhani District Court passed a verdict sentencing him to 25 days of administrative detention. His offense, as per Article 535.1 of the Code...


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