Renowned economist Professor Gubad Ibadoghlu, an advocate for democracy and accountability, was brutally assaulted and unjustly detained on July 23, 2023. These trumped-up charges and the Azerbaijani government’s actions are a grave violation of human rights. The international community must take swift and decisive action to hold Azerbaijan accountable for this egregious injustice.

During their car journey in Baku, Professor Ibadoghlu and his wife, Irada Bayramli, were surrounded by alleged government officials who forcibly removed them from their vehicle and subjected them to a brutal beating. Professor Ibadoghlu was initially taken to the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (MDCOC) in Baku, a notorious department known for its mistreatment and torture of political prisoners. While the extent of Professor Ibadoghlu’s injuries remains unclear, his wife, Bayramli, endured bruises.

Currently held at the Kurdekhani pretrial detention center outside of Baku, Professor Ibadoghlu’s health is in immediate danger due to the denial of his critical medication. Despite attempts by his family members to deliver necessities to him on July 25th, the detention center claimed he was not there, contradicting confirmation from his lawyer that he had been transported to the center on July 24th. In an initial court decision, Professor Ibadoghlu was sentenced to 3 months and 26 days of “preventive detention” while the investigation continues.

The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated. Professor Ibadoghlu’s life is at risk due to his underlying health conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure. The Azerbaijani government’s deliberate denial of his medication only exacerbates this danger. We are engaged in a race against time, and our plea for justice is urgent.

We stand united to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Professor Gubad Ibadoghlu. The international community must hold the Azerbaijani government accountable for its actions and ensure the protection of the rights and dignity of all civil society representatives in the country.

Let our voices be heard, and let justice prevail.

Signed:

1. Kate Watters, Crude Accountability, USA
2. The Baroness Cox, Independent member of the House of Lords, UK Parliament
3. Sebastien Peyrouse, George Washington University, USA
4. Tom Mayne, University of Oxford, UK
5. Leanne Grossman, Naturalist, USA
6. Sam Jones and Richard Stazinski, Heartland Initiative, USA
7. Pavel Sapelko, Human Rights Center Viasna, Belarus
8. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak FBA, Professor, Columbia University, USA
9. Eva Pils, King’s College London, UK
10. Fawaz A. Gerges, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics, UK
11. Edward Lemon, Texas A&M University, USA
12. Melissa Feinberg, Rutgers University, USA
13. Dr Andreas Fulda, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK
14. Peter Trubowitz, London School of Economics, UK
15. John Sidel, Sir Patrick Gillam Professor of International and Comparative Politics, London School of Economics, UK

16. Tolekan Ismailova, Human Rights Movement “Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan,” Kyrgyzstan
17. Rohan Mukherjee, Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, London School of Economics, UK
18. Katharine Millar, London School of Economics, UK
19. Professor John Heathershaw, University of Exeter, UK
20. Tatiana Glushkova, Human Rights Defence Centre “Memorial”
21. Tomila Lankina, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics, UK
22. Iskra Kirova, Advocacy Director Europe and Central Asia, Human Rights Watch
23. Emin Huseynov, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety and Human Rights Club
24. Nancy A. Hewitt, Prof Emerita, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ, USA
25. Ucha Nanuashvili, Human Rights Center, Georgia
26. Tadzhigul Begmedova, Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Bulgaria
27. Vasiĺ Sankovič, The Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House, Belarus/Lithuania
28. Karl Horberg, Freedom Now, USA
29. Ivar Dale, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Norway
30. Maryna Zastavna, International Partnership for Human Rights, Belgium
31. Anki Wetterhall, Swedish OSCE-network, Sweden
32. Lenur Kerymov, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
33. Krassimir Kanev, Chairperson, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Bulgaria
34. Yevgeniy Zhovtis, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, Kazakhstan
35. Julia Johnson, UK
36. Manana Kochladze, Central and East European Bankwatch Network
37. Dr Tena Prelec, University of Rijeka, Croatia
38. Steve Swerdlow, Associate Professor of the Practice of Human Rights, University of Southern California, USA
39. Raul Uporov, Kazakhstan
40. Neil Tangri, Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, USA
41. Lukpan Akhmedyarov, Public Union “Abyroi,” Kazakhstan
42. Sergey Solyanik, environmental activist, Kazakhstan
43. Anara Ibrayeva, Public Association “Dignity,” Kazakhstan
44. Eldar Zeynalov, Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan
45. Jennifer Castner, The Altai Project, USA
46. Belinda Davis, Rutgers University, USA
47. Prof. Samuel Greene FacSS, Professor of Russian Politics, King’s College London, UK
48. Judith Gerson, Professor Emerita, Rutgers University, USA
49. Sophia Appelbaum, Japan
50. Todd Wolfson, Professor of Media Studies and President of AAUP-AFT, Rutgers University, USA
51. Charles Becker, Economics, Duke University, USA
52. James Ashley Morrison, Associate Professor, International Relations Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
53. James Nixey, Chatham House, UK
54. Natalia Taubina, Public Verdict, Russia
55. Dr Zbigniew Wojnowski, University of Oxford, UK
56. Casey Kearney, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
57. Thomas Da Costa Vieira, London School of Economics, UK
58.  John Chalcraft, Professor of Middle East History and Politics, Government Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
59. Dr Theresa Squatrito, Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, The London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
60. Dr Martin Bayly, Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
61. Christopher R Hughes, Professor Emeritus, International Relations, London School of Economics, UK
62. Professor Karen E. Smith, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
63. Dr Jody LaPorte, University of Oxford, UK
64. Nikhil Kalyanpur, London School of Economics, UK
65. Nicholas Rennie, Associate Professor & Undergraduate Director, Department of Germanic, Russian & East European Languages & Literatures, Rutgers University, USA
66. Kaisha Atakhanova and Vadim Ni, NGO Social EcoFund, Kazakhstan
67. Boram Lee, London School of Economics, Republic of Korea
68. Maia Holtermann Entwistle, Postdoctoral Fellow in International Relations, LSE, UK
69. Giorgi Marjanishvili, Center for Participation and Developments, Tbilisi, Georgia
70. Catherine Gegout, Associate Professor in International Relations, University of Nottingham, UK
71. Patrick Conway, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
72. Bruce Caldwell, Duke University, USA
73. Prof. Curtis R. Taylor, Duke University, USA
74. Uranija Pirovska, Macedonian Helsinki Committee, Macedonia
75. Anna Blank, People in Need, Czechia
76. Erida Skendaj, Albanian Helsinki Committee, Albania
77. Audrey Altstadt, Professor of History, UMass Amherst, USA
78. Catherine Cosman, USA