The enigma of Aliyev's crackdown: intensifying restrictions to project a complex and refined image
Sneaky Strongman Aliyev Strikes Again: Despotism Ahead of COP29
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is caught in a peculiar predicament as he prepares to welcome the COP29 climate conference in Baku this November. The desire to showcase Azerbaijan as a modern and sophisticated nation on the global stage clashes with his desperate attempt to silence opposition voices, leading to a dictatorial image at odds with his international reputation ambitions.
In a chilling turn of events, Azerbaijan has recently taken a sharp swing towards Russia, symbolized by Sergei Naryshkin's visit to Baku. As the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Naryshkin met with various Azerbaijani security and intelligence officials to discuss collaboration in various intelligence activities. The SVR claimed the talks centered on countering activities by Western special services disrupting internal political stability in both Russia and Azerbaijan.
Western intelligence services were accused of orchestrating their destabilization via non-systemic opposition and international terrorist organizations. Despite Azerbaijani officials remaining silent on the matter, independent political activists view the SVR statement as an effective ban on all forms of criticism of state policy. This timely declaration may well make it nearly impossible for critics to use COP29 as a platform to shine an international spotlight on Azerbaijan's dismal human rights record and local environmental issues such as harmful mining operations.
The SVR's visit follows a recent wave of arrests and sentencings of dissidents and critical voices in Azerbaijan, including researcher Bahruz Samadov's detention on treason charges. Activists like Elman Fattah on social media and Jamil Hasanli on Facebook have highlighted this turn of events, denouncing it as despotism.
While Russia-Azerbaijan intelligence cooperation deepens, it appears to have its limitations. Recent refusals by Baku to bow down to the Kremlin's demands on the establishment of the Zangezur corridor underline Azerbaijan's ability to stand up to Russia on key issues.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and the United States have escalated in response to increasing repression in Azerbaijan. A group of US Congress members petitioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take decisive action against human rights violations in Azerbaijan before COP29. Aliyev, in turn, responded with a scathing speech accusing the State Department of hypocrisy and attempting to undermine his government.
Together with the parliament, Azerbaijan's leaders have since sent their own petition to Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, urging him to terminate active contacts between Azerbaijan and the United States and USAID-funded activity in Azerbaijan. It seems a few foreign entities have tried to manipulate the upcoming COP29 conference to dictate their terms to Azerbaijan.
Far from improving its human rights record in consideration of COP29, Azerbaijan continues to repress dissent and exhibits severe political repression, ethnic discrimination, and judicial shortcomings. International observers urge coordinated pressure on Azerbaijan to address these abuses as part of broader accountability efforts in these challenging times.
- The environmental science community and general news outlets are closely monitoring the political situation in Azerbaijan as the country prepares to host COP29, with concerns about human rights abuses and environmental issues casting a dark shadow over the climate conference.
- As the oil-and-gas industry in Azerbaijan continues to contribute significantly to the economy, the financial sector is increasingly scrutinizing the country's environmental policies and practices, especially regarding harmful mining operations and climate-change mitigation efforts.
- Amidst these tensions, policy-and-legislation experts are examining the potential impact of energy policies and war-and-conflicts on Azerbaijan's global reputation, particularly in relation to the COP29 conference and the country's relationships with Russia, the United States, and other influential nations.
- With a recent rise in crime-and-justice cases against dissidents and critical voices, questions have arisen about the role of politics and politics-as-usual in Azerbaijan's suppression of environmental activism and opposition voices, and the extent to which these actions may complicate international cooperation on climate change.
- As experts call for coordinated pressure on Azerbaijan to address human rights abuses and environmental issues, some speculate that the COP29 conference may present an opportunity for various nations to discuss policy solutions that consider both the environment and the broader impact on political stability, justice, and peacekeeping.
- In this complex web of political alliances, financial pressures, and global spotlights, it remains unclear whether COP29 will serve as a platform for progress towards mutual understanding and cooperation, or becoming another battleground in the struggle for power and influence between nations.
