BAKU — The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that Azerbaijan failed to protect investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova’s right to privacy, saying the country’s courts should have sanctioned a local newspaper for an article making salacious claims and commentary about her private and sexual life. The Strasbourg-based court on May 7 held that […]
Wife Of Azerbaijani Opposition Activist Held In Psychiatric Clinic Says She Cannot Meet Him
BAKU — The wife of a member of the opposition Popular Front Of Azerbaijan (AXCP) says she has not been able to meet her spouse for more than a month after he was forcibly placed in a psychiatric clinic following his criticism of the country’s leadership.Aygun Humbatova told RFE/RL that she and her children tried […]
Azerbaijan Puts Four Top Banks Under Temporary Administration
BAKU — Azerbaijan’s central bank has put four of the energy-rich South Caucasus country’s top banks under temporary administration, amid economic difficulties caused by a plunge in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic. The central bank on April 27 appointed temporary administrators for Atabank, AGBank, NBCBank, and Amrah Bank, which are among the country’s 15 […]
U.S., EU Welcome Full Acquittal Of Azerbaijani Politician, Rights Defender
The United States and European Union have welcomed the full acquittal in Azerbaijan of a leading human rights defender and an opposition leader. Ilqar Mammadov, chairman of the Republican Alternative Party (ReAL), and Rasul Cafarov, a prominent human rights defender and board member of ReAL, were acquitted by the Azerbaijani Supreme Court on April 23 […]
Lawyer For Azerbaijani Opposition Activist Says Court Is Holding Up Appeal
BAKU — The lawyer of a member of the opposition Popular Front Of Azerbaijan (AXCP) says the failure of a local court to provide documents is holding up his client’s appeal and forcing him to remain in the psychiatric clinic he was placed in after criticizing the country’s leadership. Lawyer Nemat Karimli told RFE/RL on […]
HRW Says Azerbaijan Abuses COVID-19 Restrictions To Crack Down On Critics
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is accusing Azerbaijani authorities of “abusing” restrictions imposed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus to arrest government critics. In less than a month, at least six opposition activists and a pro-opposition journalist were sentenced to detention of up to 30 days on “spurious charges” that included breaking lockdown rules […]
Former Nagorno-Karabakh PM Wins Election
The former prime minister of the unrecognized region of Nagorno-Karabakh has won a runoff presidential election in the disputed region, an expected result after his rival asked his supporters not to vote in the second round. De facto election officials in the breakaway Azerbaijani region said on April 15 that Arayik (Ara) Harutyunian, a wealthy […]
Nagorno-Karabakh Election Runoff Under Way Amid Criticism, Coronavirus Concerns
De facto authorities in Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh are holding a second round of elections for the disputed region’s leader on April 14 amid international criticism and safety concerns due to the coronavirus outbreak. Voters headed to polls on April 14 after results from the first round of the vote on March 31 showed […]
Azerbaijani Opposition Activist Detained After Release From Psychiatric Clinic
BAKU — A member of the opposition Popular Front Of Azerbaijan (AXCP) has been detained by police a day after he was released from a psychiatric clinic where he was held against his will for almost three days. Aqil Humbatov’s wife, Aygun Humbatova, told RFE/RL that her husband’s co-workers told her that two men in […]
Azerbaijanis Must Text ID Number, Reason For Trip Before Going Out
BAKU – Azerbaijanis will be able to venture into the streets only after sending a text message with their identification number and the reason for their trip under additional requirements announced April 2 to help control the spread of the coronavirus.Beginning April 5 Azerbaijanis will have to text their ID number along with a number […]
Azerbaijan’s Coronavirus Disinformation Law Could Curb Press Freedom, OSCE Says
The media-rights watchdog for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has raised concerns about legislation passed recently in Azerbaijan with the stated aim of fighting against coronavirus disinformation. “I fully understand the need to combat false information during a health emergency,” Harlem Desir, the OSCE representative on freedom of the media, said […]
Azerbaijani Opposition Politician Arrested On ‘Bogus’ Charges, HRW Says
BAKU — Azerbaijan has arrested a prominent opposition politician, Tofig Yagublu, in what Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls “another disturbing example of the government’s contempt for free speech and political critics.” The New York-based rights group said on March 25 that Yagublu was arrested on spurious hooliganism charges, days after President Ilham Aliyev suggested he […]
HRW Welcomes Azerbaijani Journalist’s Release, Deplores Others Still Behind Bars
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling on Azerbaijan to free at least five journalists and bloggers who it says have been imprisoned on politically motivated charges. The New York-based human rights watchdog made the call on March 18, the day after Azerbaijani authorities released investigative reporter Afqan Muxtarli from prison. Calling the move “a rare […]