EU Urged to Address Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Crisis at COP29

The statement highlights the Azerbaijani government’s recent crackdown on independent media, human rights defenders, and civil society, labeling it a “relentless assault” that has effectively criminalised dissent. 

Central to this crisis is the case of Anar Mammadli, a prominent rights defender and winner of the Council of Europe’s 2014 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. Mammadli’s arrest came after his Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center published findings critical of the February presidential elections and as he co-launched a Climate Justice Initiative. Since his detention, his health has significantly declined. Other notable detainees, such as academic Gubad Ibadoghlu and civic activist Famil Khalilov, also face deteriorating conditions and inadequate medical care. 

The organisations call on the EU to leverage its economic and political influence to push for the immediate release of Mammadli and other political prisoners, prioritize their health needs, and condemn Azerbaijan’s punitive NGO regulations. Key demands include public support for independent media and civil society, meetings with families of detainees, and ensuring that civil society participation in climate action is protected from retaliation. 

This joint appeal underscores the importance of using diplomatic channels and EU partnerships, like the 2022 energy cooperation agreement, to reinforce Azerbaijan’s human rights obligations under international law.