State of Democracy in Azerbaijan: Jailing Opposition Leaders Undermines Democratic Progress

Azerbaijan: Opposition Leader Arrested

Gubad Ibadoghlu, Renowned Scholar, Faces Spurious Charges

July 25, 2023 12:51PM EDT

Azerbaijani authorities have arrested Gubad Ibadoghlu, a prominent opposition leader and scholar, on what human rights organizations consider to be spurious criminal charges. On July 24, 2023, the Narimanov District Court in Baku sent Ibadoghlu to four months of pretrial detention on charges of production, acquisition, or sale of counterfeit money by an organized group. If convicted, Ibadoghlu could face up to 12 years in prison. This arrest follows a pattern of persecuting government critics in Azerbaijan, with the sole aim of silencing opposition and critical voices in the country.

A History of Opposition and Activism

Gubad Ibadoghlu is a well-known Azerbaijani politician and the chairperson of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Prosperity Movement, which was established in 2014 with a social-democratic platform. Ibadoghlu has been attempting to register the movement as a political party since February 2021. In June 2023, he established the Azerbaijani Youth Education Foundation in the UK, along with two other Azerbaijani opposition politicians, Jamil Hasanli and Arif Mammadov. The foundation’s goal is to support higher education for young Azerbaijanis, place them in universities abroad, and foster a new generation of professionals for the country’s future.

Ibadoghlu’s efforts in creating the Azerbaijani Youth Education Foundation have faced intense criticism from pro-government media outlets, who have launched a smear campaign against him. Additionally, in the past, Ibadoghlu led the Economic Research Center, a non-governmental group that conducted research on public finance management, good governance, and budget transparency. In 2014, the authorities froze the group’s bank accounts and forcibly closed it as part of their crackdown on civil society in Azerbaijan.

Due to politically motivated charges, Ibadoghlu was forced to go into political exile in early 2015. However, he briefly returned to Azerbaijan in summer 2021, and then again at the end of June 2023. Throughout his career, Ibadoghlu has also been a renowned political economist, teaching at various US and European institutions. Until recently, he was a senior visiting scholar at the London School of Economics.

A Case of Intimidation and Ill-Treatment

The circumstances surrounding Ibadoghlu’s arrest are concerning. On July 23, while driving with his wife, Irada Bayramova, to meet youth activists, their car was surrounded by four civilian cars. These cars forced Ibadoghlu’s car into a traffic accident, intentionally ramming it from the rear and the front. About 20 individuals in civilian clothes then forcibly removed the couple from their car, physically assaulting them, and driving them to the Interior Ministry’s Organized Crime Unit in Baku.

Bayramova, Ibadoghlu’s wife, suffered multiple bruises to her arms, legs, and back during the assault. Plain-clothed officers at the scene did not provide any explanation for the couple’s detention. Ibadoghlu and Bayramova were separated and questioned without the presence of a lawyer of their choosing. Bayramova was released later that day, but Ibadoghlu was transferred to a pre-trial detention facility in Kurdekhani.

The Azerbaijani authorities claim that Ibadoghlu’s arrest is part of an operation against supporters of Fethullah Gülen, the US-based Sunni cleric regarded as the leader of a movement the Turkish government considers a terrorist organization. Ibadoghlu is suspected of producing, acquiring, or selling counterfeit money. However, no substantive evidence has been presented to support these allegations, and Ibadoghlu denies all charges against him.

Concerns About Ibadoghlu’s Health and Well-being

There are also concerns about Ibadoghlu’s health conditions, which have reportedly been deteriorating. He suffers from type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, for which he requires at least four medications. Initially, Azerbaijani officials refused to allow his wife to transfer his medications to him, insisting that she instead purchase analogues in local pharmacies. However, on July 24, officials finally allowed his lawyer to transfer his medications to detention officials in Baku.

Despite this development, it remains uncertain whether the medications will reach Ibadoghlu at the pre-trial detention facility. It is imperative that he receives access to his medications and is given the highest possible standard of care while in detention.

Call for Immediate Release and Accountability

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, are calling for Ibadoghlu’s immediate release and for all charges against him to be dropped. The case against him appears to be yet another instance of the Azerbaijani government targeting government critics and opposition leaders in an effort to silence dissent in the country.

The Azerbaijani authorities have a responsibility to uphold the principles of democracy, freedom of expression, and the rule of law. Arresting and intimidating opposition leaders is a clear violation of these principles, and it undermines the country’s democratic progress. It is essential that international pressure is applied to hold the Azerbaijani government accountable for its actions.

In addition, given the questionable circumstances surrounding Ibadoghlu’s arrest and the alleged ill-treatment he and his wife endured, a thorough and impartial investigation must be conducted to hold those responsible for these acts of violence and intimidation accountable.

As the international community continues to closely monitor the situation in Azerbaijan, it is imperative that civil society organizations, journalists, and governments around the world condemn these actions and support the voices of the Azerbaijani people fighting for democracy and human rights.

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