In a context of a notable intensification of repression occurring in Azerbaijan in the aftermath of the presidential election on 7 February 2024 and the parliamentary election on 1 September 2024, we call upon PACE to prioritise the release of Anar Mammadli ahead of COP29.

In their letter to the Bureau members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, 12 NGOs alongside the prominent Azerbaijani human rights defender Anar Mammadli Campaign call upon PACE Bureau members to make Anar Mammadli’s case a priority. Anar Mammadli was awarded the Parliamentary Assembly’s Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize in 2014.

Nevertheless, Anar Mammadli is not the sole political prisoner in Azerbaijan. According to Azerbaijani civil society there are more than 300 political prisoners in the country, of whom the following individuals are particularly emblematic of the reinforced repression, underline the NGOs, including civic activist Famil Khalilov, researcher and activist Bahruz Samadov, distinguished academic and anti-corruption expert Gubad Ibadoghlu, trade union activist Afiaddin Mammadov, human rights defender and journalist, Ulvi Hasanli, woman human rights defender and journalist, eidtor-in-chief Sevinj Abbasova, founder of Toplum TV Alaskar Mammadli and Aziz Orujev, the director of Kanal 13.

Political activists Tofig Yagublu and Ruslan Izzatli, human rights defender and investigative journalist Hafiz Babali and women human rights defenders and journalists Elnara Gasimova, Nargiz Absalamova, Ali Zeynal and Mushfig Cabbar are also among individuals who are remain in detention.

The NGOs therefore call upon the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to:

• Ahead of and at the occasion of the next Vaclav Havel award ceremony, call for the release of Anar Mammadli and other human rights defenders and civil activists, environmental activists, and journalists whose arrests are politically motivated; use all vehicles in doing so, including through increased pressure on Azerbaijan’s government to implement the cases of the Mammadli Group of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights;
• Call for a total review, in accordance with Council of Europe Venice Commission findings, of the legislation designed to target human rights defenders and civil society and criminalise their activities; make clear that none of such legislation should be used to further arrest and prosecute such individuals ahead of PACE’s reconsideration of the credentials of Azerbaijan’s delegation;
• Ensure that if members of PACE are to participate to COP29 to further the important technical discussions and agreements that states are to find at COP29, they avoid to contribute to Azerbaijan self-satisfaction through high-level political endorsement of the COP29 host country’s political leadership; condemn Azerbaijan’s blacklisting of individuals critical of the government to prevent their presence in Azerbaijan during COP29, including human rights defenders and lawyers, journalists and media workers, independent academics and researchers, political and environmental activists, as well as MPs, including members of PACE.

The signatory organisations are:

The Anar Mammadli Campaign to end repression in Azerbaijan
Civil Network Opora, Ukraine
European Exchange
European Platform for Democratic Elections
Front Line Defenders
International Partnership for Human Rights
Netherlands Helsinki Committee
Norwegian Helsinki Committee
Political Accountability Foundation, Poland
Promo-LEX Association, Moldova
Resource Center for Democracy and Human Rights, Moldova
Swedish International Liberal Centre
ZMINA Human Rights Center, Ukraine

About the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize

The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize aims to reward outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond. To be awarded each year by PACE, in partnership with the Václav Havel Library and the Charta 77 Foundation, the Prize is open to nominations from any individual, non-governmental organisation or institution working to defend human rights.

Anar Mammadli was awarded the Vaclav Havel Prize in 2014.  

PACE President at the time, MP Anne Brasseur (Luxembourg), gave the award to Anar Mammadli’s father at a ceremony at the Council of Europe in Strasbourb, as Anar Mammadli was in detention at the time and not allowed to travel to recieve the award.