Azerbaijan’s Repressive Climate Ahead of COP Summit: Human Rights at Risk

Azerbaijan is gearing up to host the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, in Baku this November. While the government initiates efforts to modernize infrastructure and organize the event, it simultaneously engages in severe repression, targeting activists and journalists within its borders. Human rights organizations have reported a troubling increase in arrests of dissidents, marking what many experts describe as the most aggressive crackdown in recent years. Observers initially believed that Azerbaijan's leadership, under President Ilham Aliyev, might allow for some political openness in light of international scrutiny expected during COP29. Contrary to these expectations, Aliyev has intensified his attempts to quash dissent, aiming to eliminate any potential for criticism of his government during the summit.Stefan Meister from the German Council on Foreign Relations remarked on the unprecedented repression, stating, "We haven’t seen repression like this in the country in a long time." He noted that recent actions seem strategically aimed at erasing the voices of critics ahead of the critical climate meeting.Among those arrested are at least twelve journalists from independent media outlets and prominent activists. Notably, Anar Mammadli, a civil rights activist and co-founder of the Climate Justice Initiative—an organization that seeks to advocate for human rights alongside climate justice—was detained shortly after the group's establishment in February.The situation wreaks havoc on the image Azerbaijan hopes to project globally while showcasing its commitment to climate issues. With mounting international pressure for political reforms, the backdrop of extensive human rights violations casts a shadow over COP29, prompting concerns about the efficacy of the summit in addressing not only climate change but also the fundamental rights of those living within the host country.