Calls for International Action as Azerbaijan’s Regime Targets Journalists and Activists

A crucial hearing hosted by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission took place today in Washington, D.C., focusing on the worsening human rights situation in Azerbaijan. The session was live-streamed on The Armenian Report’s YouTube channel, offering a platform for crucial testimony about the regime’s actions, especially following the recent conflict in ց.

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Andrea J. Prasow, Executive Director of Freedom Now, spoke at the hearing, representing a collective voice of human rights activists from Azerbaijan. Due to fears of government reprisal, these Azerbaijani activists could not attend in person or reveal their identities. Instead, Prasow read a statement summarizing their concerns and experiences.

“Freedom Now is dedicated to protecting individuals from government repression,” Prasow stated. “For years, we’ve assisted human rights defenders in Azerbaijan and advocated for the release of political prisoners. Today, we present a composite statement from Azerbaijani activists who cannot openly share their stories.”

The testimony presented a dire picture of human rights abuses under Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime. Prasow listed the severe restrictions placed on civil society, noting that almost every activist, journalist, and opposition leader in Azerbaijan has faced harassment from the government.

Prasow detailed the situation of political prisoners, noting that there are currently over 300 such individuals in Azerbaijan, many imprisoned since late 2022. One prominent case is Ulvi Hasanli, a journalist with Abzas Media, who was arrested in November 2020. Hasanli and other journalists from Abzas Media, as well as Toplum TV, have been targeted for their critical coverage of the government.

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In March 2024, Azerbaijani police raided the offices of Toplum TV and the Institute of Democratic Initiatives (IDI), arresting several people, including Toplum TV’s co-founder and IDI’s founder. This crackdown led to the closure of these independent news outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The new media law, enacted in early 2022, has further stifled independent journalism. It mandates that journalists register with a government-controlled agency and allows the government to deny accreditation to those with a criminal record, which many journalists face due to politically motivated charges.

Prasow also discussed the escalating repression as Azerbaijan prepares to host the UN climate conference, COP29, in November. There are rumors that President Ilham Aliyev might announce a peace deal with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, but in the meantime, peace activists like Bahruz Samadov have been arrested and charged with treason. Samadov, a researcher and commentator, was detained on August 21, 2024, and has faced severe conditions in prison.

Conditions in Azerbaijani prisons are reported to be life-threatening. Hasanli documented 58 instances of torture and inhumane treatment in the first half of 2024 alone. Prisoners are subjected to brutal treatment, often under signs meant to indicate anti-torture measures, and some, like academic Fazil Gasimov, have gone on hunger strikes to protest their conditions.

The hearing showed the need for more stringent measures by the international community. Prasow’s letter from Azerbaijanis urged the U.S. and its Western partners to implement targeted sanctions against human rights abusers within the Azerbaijani government and to condition foreign assistance on measurable improvements in human rights. Without these actions, there is concern that more individuals will face imprisonment and abuse.

“While we appreciate the recent steps taken by the U.S. and its allies, they have not yet compelled the Azerbaijani regime to change course,” Prasow’s letter concluded. “We must do more to ensure the release of political prisoners and the protection of civil society.”

The hearing marked a significant moment in highlighting the severe human rights violations occurring in Azerbaijan and the urgent need for international intervention.