As we gear up for COP29, the upcoming Climate Summit in Baku, there’s a pressing issue on our minds: the imprisonment of peace activists and academics, including Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu and Bahruz Samadov by Azerbaijani authorities. High-profile events like these are opportunities to spotlight cases of repression, urging host governments to release political prisoners and protect human rights.
Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu’s situation is part of a troubling trend. In recent years, Azerbaijan has witnessed a crackdown on civil society and environmental activists. Reports from Human Rights Watch and Freedom House reveal alarming patterns of government attacks on critics, independent groups, and media. Ahead of COP29, authorities have intensified their efforts to silence dissent, with at least 33 documented cases of criminal prosecution, detention, and harassment.
The recent arrest of Bahruz Samadov further illustrates this alarming trend. On August 21, 2024, Samadov, a doctoral researcher at Charles University in Prague and a critic of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh policy, was detained by the State Security Service. He faces charges of “high treason”, with a possible prison sentence of 12 to 20 years due to his academic work, advocacy, and connections with Armenian activists.
Samadov’s case, like Ibadoghlu’s, reflects Azerbaijan’s growing intolerance for independent voices. Despite expectations that hosting an international event like COP29 might prompt Azerbaijani authorities to demonstrate openness, reports indicate a continuation of severe restrictions on freedom of expression.
Call for Immediate release of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, Bahruz Samadov and all other political prisoners in Azerbaijan
This makes it crucial to take action and demand the release of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, Bahruz Samadov and all other political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The act of imprisonment is more than a political tactic; it inflicts profound personal and psychological harm. In an interview with UNITED for Intercultural Action, Gubad’s daughter Zhala Bayramova expressed the challenges facing Azerbaijani activists: her father, held under house arrest, is denied access to urgent medical treatment, placing his life at serious risk. As COP29 approaches, Azerbaijani civil society remains systematically silenced, with important voices barred from the conversation and denied fundamental freedoms. She urges activists and organizations to “mention our names and the names of environmental defenders and prisoners during COP29.” With many activists behind bars or in exile, Zhala implores, “Please help us by raising awareness of our struggles so we can join the fight for the environment together.” Despite her own history of suffering torture in Baku, she is eager to participate online and advocate for her father’s work on corruption and labor rights in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector. “I want to be the voice for those who cannot raise their voice,” Zhala says, calling for solidarity from the international community (You can find Zhala’s testimony on our Instagram account here).
A Dangerous Trend of Repression
The situation in Azerbaijan reflects a broader trend of repression against environmental activists globally. In neighboring Iran, environmental researchers and activists have faced severe persecution. In January and February 2018, Iranian authorities arrested several members of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation on espionage charges, with some receiving lengthy prison sentences. This case highlights the risks faced by environmental defenders in the region.
The situation remains concerning in many countries, even those that claim to uphold human rights. The UN Special Rapporteur has highlighted various tactics used to undermine climate protests, noting how the media often conflates “disruption” with “violence,” justifying harsh responses from law enforcement. For example, in Sweden, the UN’s special rapporteur for the Aarhus Convention criticized the abrupt dismissal of a climate activist from her security-classified job after a media campaign. Meanwhile in Italy, eco-vandalism laws can lead to imprisonment of up to five years and fines up to €10.000.
Since the beginning of 2023, environmental activists have faced a surge in charges against peaceful protesters, indicating a concerted effort by authorities to stifle dissent through intimidation. Tragically, over 2,100 environmental activists were killed globally between 2012 and 2023, with Latin America facing the highest rates of violence, as reported by the NGO Global Witness.
Repression is often especially prevalent in conflict-affected regions. In Russia, dissenters like Boris Kagarlitsky have received lengthy prison sentences for opposing the war in Ukraine, while other dissenting voices are labeled as foreign agents. Similarly, Ukrainian authorities have initiated 4,315 politically motivated criminal cases against dissidents since the war began.
In Belarus, Olga Karach, founder of the International Center for Civil Initiatives “Our House,” was sentenced to 12 years in absentia for allegedly creating an extremist organization. In Denmark, the Palestinian solidarity movement faces media backlash and calls for defunding organizations like ActionAid Denmark. All of these examples underscore a broader pattern of using state power to silence dissent and control public narratives.
Let’s Take Action in Solidarity! Sign the Petition!
As COP29 – the largest gathering of governments, NGOs and businesses for climate action – is commencing in Azerbaijan in a few weeks, the global community has a significant opportunity to act, with the cases of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu and Bahruz Samadov highlight the critical need for solidarity. We invite you to send a powerful message to the Azerbaijani and other authorities that the world is watching, and that political repression will not go unchallenged. Signing the appeal offers us a chance to come together in solidarity with activists and academics, who struggle for their and our collective freedom. By amplifying their voices to ensure they’re heard, we remain UNITED against Silence!
- Petition for the release of all prisoners of conscience in Azerbaijan and ensure safe civic space in the country: Sign Here
- Urgent action campaign for the immediate release of Gubad Ibadoghl: More Info Here
- Petition for the release of Bahruz Samadov: Sign Here!
Article written by Tord Björk (PragueSpring2) & Natalia Zelewska (UNITED for Intercultural Action)
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