Several international human rights organizations have raised alarm about Azerbaijan’s crackdown on rights defenders, government critics and journalists before the start of the COP29 climate change conference currently being held in its capital, Baku.
“We urge every delegation attending COP29 to press the Azerbaijani government to end its clampdown on civil society, guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly throughout and beyond the conference, and take meaningful action to reverse the deterioration of human rights in the country,” Amnesty International said in a statement before the start of the event on Nov. 11.
The United Nations’ annual conference on combating global warming, COP29, began last week as the Azerbaijani government escalated its crackdown on government critics.
Azerbaijani authorities have jailed at least 14 journalists since November 2023. Many of them are facing charges of currency smuggling. All of them deny the allegations, calling them bogus.
On November 12, a group of Azerbaijani civil society representatives issued an open appeal to COP29 participants, claiming that after Azerbaijan was announced as the conference host in December 2023, the country's government began to silence dissidents and alternative voices.
“In a short period of time, opposition leaders, human rights defenders, socio-political activists, independent media organizations, including the leaders and employees of 'Abzas Media,' 'Toplum TV,' 'Kanal 13,' and the civil society organization Institute for Democratic Initiatives, were detained on politically motivated charges. The trial of those arrested was postponed until December, as they coincided with COP29,” they said.
The Azerbaijani government, which has rejected accusations that the arrests were politically motivated, insists that journalists and activists are being detained "on the basis of credible suspicions of violations of individual articles of the Criminal Code [of the Republic of Azerbaijan]."
Climate change and human rights
On Tuesday, COP29 hosted a debate titled “No Climate Justice Without Civic Space and Meaningful Participation,” organized by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and several other human rights organizations.
After the event, Fuad Hasanov, head of the nongovernmental organization Democratic Monitor, told VOA that the main theme of the debate was that it is impossible to hold discussions on climate change in an environment where the space for civil society is limited.
Panel members also called on Azerbaijani authorities to release all political prisoners, including journalists, and to create conditions for the free operation of independent civil society institutions and the media.
In a letter to President Ilham Aliyev published on Monday, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty also urged the immediate release of all political prisoners.
“I share with you my concern about the recent arrests of a number of human rights defenders, journalists and civil society activists,” O'Flaherty said in the letter.
O'Flaherty said that as a member of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan should create a safe environment for human rights.
“I urge the Azerbaijani authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that all laws and practices in connection with freedoms of association, assembly and expression and the situation of human rights defenders, journalists and civil society activists in the country comply with relevant Council of Europe human rights standards,” O'Flaherty said.
Rufat Safarov, executive director of the human rights organization Defense Line, told VOA that the 29th annual U.N. Climate Change Conference should not have been held in Baku. He said this legitimizes the country's authorities, who deny fundamental rights and freedoms in Azerbaijan, on the international stage.
"In an environment where law is worthless, human rights are ignored, political rights are denied, violence has become the official state policy, and there are 319 political prisoners, holding COP29 in Baku serves the interests of the repressive regime at best," Safarov said.
Azerbaijan response
The unsigned response letter from Azerbaijani authorities to the Council of Europe commissioner emphasizes that Azerbaijan remains committed to upholding its international obligations, including those under international human rights law, and ensuring the safety and freedom of all persons. The letter was made available on the Council of Europe commissioner’s website Monday.
The letter stated: “It should be emphasized that no journalist or media representative is being targeted for carrying out their professional work in Azerbaijan. Every individual, irrespective of their standing, is equal before the law and is expected to adhere to the legislation in force, as this forms the foundation of the rule of law principle.
“Therefore, it is of utmost importance to exercise due diligence and refrain from any actions, especially calling for immediate release of the persons under criminal investigation, that may be construed as interfering with the judicial process.”
Lawmaker Bahruz Maharramov, a member of the parliament’s Human Rights Committee, told VOA on Thursday that the attacks on Azerbaijan from the West under the guise of human rights and democracy on the eve of and during COP29 are “an instrument for cheap imperialist intentions.”
“In this sense, the claims and statements of those circles are irrelevant for us, and we rightly consider these claims to be part of a smear campaign against Azerbaijan,” he said.
This story originated in VOA’s Azerbaijani Service.
