FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “The regime believes that even the smallest political concession—such as dismantling the physical cages built around Baku’s streets or opening a single land border crossing—would lead to everything collapsing, bringing the regime down with it...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Fazil Gasimov, a PhD student at Istanbul University who was detained in Turkey in August 2023 and brought to Azerbaijan, has been on a hunger strike for 90 days while in prison. Human rights defender, the executive director of the "Defense Line" human rights organization...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “As COP29 Azerbaijan approaches, one thing is clear: there can be no climate justice without justice against repression...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Member of the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan, lawyer Toghrul Rzayev has reported being assaulted by the police. He wrote on social media: “For nearly 3 days, I have been prevented from carrying out my professional duties by the Nesimi District Police Department. On July 25, 2024, while performing my professional duties, I was subjected to violence and beaten by police officers. Later,...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “The real smugglers, those who illicitly transfer the nation's riches overseas, remain free. We are being accused of smuggling because we investigated them...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms In the criminal case related to "AbzasMedia," the detention of journalist, Sevinj Vagifgizi (Abbasova), the editor-in-chief of the publication, has been extended for an additional three months. Sevinj Vagifgizi participated in the court hearing, presided over by Judge Fuad Akhundov. The journalist stated that the smuggling charges against her are fabricated and that...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “We urge the United Nations and Council of Europe bodies, as well as the European Union institutions and all like-minded states to use the momentum created by COP29 in Baku to raise the issue of growing numbers of political prisoners with Azerbaijani authorities on all bilateral and multilateral platforms and request to put an end to the persecution of critical voices...” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms Anar Mammadli, the head of the Center for Monitoring Elections and Teaching Democracy (SMDT), faces charges under Article 206.3.2 of Azerbaijan's Criminal...


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FB Digest@VoxPOPULI   “Leaving the Council of Europe would result in Azerbaijanis losing the opportunity to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights when their rights are not ensured in the country's courts…” (Lack of) Human Rights and Freedoms The request for the house arrest of journalist Elnara Gasimova, arrested in connection with the "Abzas Media" case, was reviewed on February 2. Abzas Media reported that the request was not granted during the proceedings at the Baku Court of Appeal. The series of detentions began with the arrest of Ulvi Hasanli, the director of "Abzas...


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