In a recent appeal, UN experts have raised significant concerns about the ongoing detention of Anar Mammadli, a prominent Azerbaijani human rights defender, detained since April 2024. The experts have called upon Azerbaijan to uphold Mammadli’s fundamental rights, emphasizing his right to a fair trial and adequate medical care. Concerns have been expressed that his detention may be a retaliatory move due to his human rights advocacy and engagement with UN mechanisms. This incident recalls an earlier case in 2013 when Mammadli faced similar charges, which the European Court of Human Rights later ruled as a violation of his liberty.
Mammadli, who chaired the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS), was arrested on contentious charges relating to smuggling and money laundering. If convicted, he faces seven to 12 years of imprisonment. His arrest followed the publication of an EMDS report detailing irregularities in the February 2024 presidential elections. Various UN special rapporteurs have called for an end to intimidation against human rights defenders in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani government has refuted allegations that Mammadli’s detention is politically motivated, maintaining that any actions taken against him are based purely on criminal activities. Nevertheless, Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, has urged Azerbaijan to ensure compliance with European human rights standards and fully implement past judgments by the European Court.
This situation has prompted international attention with human rights bodies noting systemic human rights issues in Azerbaijan, including the arbitrary detention of political activists. The country has been criticized by bodies such as the European Parliament for its treatment of civil society actors. As of December 2024, there were at least 331 reported political prisoners in Azerbaijan.