IRFS Condemns Crackdown on Media and Activists in Azerbaijan at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council
Geneva, March 17, 2025 — The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) delivered a powerful statement today at the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, condemning the Azerbaijani government’s relentless crackdown on independent media and civil society activists.
In its address, IRFS highlighted the alarming deterioration of media freedom in Azerbaijan, where approximately 40 journalists are currently imprisoned in retaliation for their professional activities. Since 2023, the government has intensified its repression, not only targeting local independent voices but also extending its reach across borders. Prominent bloggers residing abroad—Mahammad Mirzali, Qabil Mammadov, Elshad Mammadov, Gurban Mammadov, and Tural Sadigli—have been declared wanted and summoned by the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, with plans to issue an Interpol Red Notice against them.
IRFS also raised concerns over the criminal prosecution of civil society activists, including Bashir Suleymanli, Subhan Hasanli, and Mammad Mammadzade, with two of them already arrested and one detained in absentia. The Azerbaijani government’s revocation of the licenses of major international media outlets, such as BBC, Voice of America (VOA), and Bloomberg, has further contributed to turning Azerbaijan into a “news desert.”
“The Azerbaijani government’s actions represent a flagrant violation of international human rights standards and a grave threat to democracy and the rule of law,” states IRFS. “We call on the international community to hold Azerbaijan accountable and demand the immediate release of all imprisoned journalists and activists.”
IRFS remains committed to defending media freedom and supporting those who courageously speak truth to power in Azerbaijan.
For media inquiries, please contact: info@irfs.org