A coalition of British lawmakers is urging the Azerbaijani government to release a UK-based academic from the London School of Economics and Political Science, who was detained following his critical writings on the country’s environmental policies.
Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, an economist and political activist, was arrested by Azerbaijani authorities in July 2023 while visiting family.
Ibadoghlu has been an outspoken critic of the Azerbaijani regime, which is set to host the COP29 Climate Summit in November.
A letter written by the international non-governmental organization Global Witness and addressed to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has been signed by 25 campaign groups and British parliamentarians, including the Labour peer Lord Alf Dubs and eight other MPs.
The letter demands that he be released unconditionally, allowed to seek medical treatment abroad, and reunited with his family.
The campaigners, who include independent MP Jeremy Corbyn and the leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, wrote in their letter: “We write to you on behalf of Gubad Ibadoghlu, a renowned economist and civic activist, who was detained in Azerbaijan last summer on unsubstantiated charges after he published articles criticizing Azerbaijan’s oil and gas policies.”
The letter further accuses Azerbaijan’s judiciary of freezing the case and canceling trial proceedings, effectively holding Dr. Ibadoghlu as a political hostage.
Ibadoghlu, who has spent nearly a decade working as a political economist across Europe and the United States, also chairs the Azerbaijan Democracy and Prosperity Movement, an opposition group that has been denied official party registration by the Azerbaijani authorities.
Azerbaijan, a nation heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with oil and gas making up 90% of its exports and providing 60% of the government’s budget, has come under intense scrutiny ahead of this year’s climate summit.
The country’s environmental policies, particularly its dependence on fossil fuels, have been a focal point of international criticism, especially given its role as the host of COP29.
The letter from the British MPs and campaign groups emphasizes the importance of releasing Ibadoghlu if Azerbaijan is to make the upcoming climate conference “a COP of peace.” It argues that his detention casts a shadow over the event and undermines the country’s credibility on the global stage.
Son Urges Action for Detained Father’s Health
On Thursday, August 15, Ibadoghlu’s son, Ibad Bayramov, delivered the letter to the Azerbaijani embassy in London and visited Westminster to raise awareness about his father’s case.
Bayramov has previously expressed deep concern over his father’s deteriorating health, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Last year, Bayramov traveled to London to pick up medication for his father, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
“I worry every moment of every day about my dad’s treatment due to this politically motivated detention,” Bayramov said. “Just as any son would want to see their father, we are desperate to have him back. He suffers greatly, and we need to know that he is OK.”
The International Red Cross has been denied access to visit Ibadoghlu, and his family, alongside the European Parliament, has called for immediate access to medical treatment and medication.
The European Parliament also voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution demanding his release, and the European Court of Human Rights has adopted temporary measures, urging the Azerbaijani government to protect his health.
In recent years, the European Court of Human Rights has noted a “troubling pattern” of arrests and detentions of government critics in Azerbaijan. Independent organizations estimate that there are up to 200 political prisoners in the country, including journalists, activists, and opposition politicians.
Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Green Party, commented on the broader implications of such actions.
“Across much of the world, authoritarian regimes abuse their power to crack down on legitimate dissent and criticism, often with the complicity of corporate interests. It is essential that our own government challenges this at the highest level.”
Patrick Harvie
As such the case of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by those who dare to speak out against powerful interests.
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