Human Rights Watch Calls on Azerbaijan to Release Imprisoned Rights Defender Rufat Safarov
International human rights organization Human Rights Watch has called on Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release imprisoned human rights defender Rufat Safarov and overturn his conviction.
In a statement, the organization said Safarov’s eight-year prison sentence, handed down on June 12, represents “another blow” to Azerbaijan’s already severely restricted civil society environment.
Arrest linked to international human rights award
Human Rights Watch recalled that Safarov was arrested in December 2024 on the same day he visited the US Embassy in Baku to obtain a visa.
According to the organization, he was planning to travel to Washington to receive the US Secretary of State’s Human Rights Defender Award.
The group said Safarov’s arrest shortly before receiving the international recognition raises serious concerns that the prosecution may have been linked to his human rights work.
“His prosecution fits a broader pattern in Azerbaijan of using fabricated or politically motivated charges against journalists, activists, opposition figures and human rights defenders in an effort to silence criticism,” the organization said.
Calls for release and international pressure
Human Rights Watch urged Azerbaijani authorities to release Safarov immediately and unconditionally, cancel the verdict against him and withdraw what it described as politically motivated charges.
The organization also called on Azerbaijan’s international partners to increase pressure on the government to end restrictions on civil society and release individuals detained for exercising their fundamental rights.
Government position
Azerbaijani authorities have previously rejected accusations of political persecution, stating that criminal cases are based on legal grounds and that courts operate independently.
The Safarov case has drawn attention from international rights groups, which have repeatedly raised concerns about the situation of journalists, activists and civil society representatives in Azerbaijan.
