Azerbaijan admits violating assembly rights of political activists

The Azerbaijani government has admitted violating the rights of five political activists who were blocked from holding peaceful protests, agreeing to pay them compensation in a settlement at Europe's human rights court.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) struck the cases from its list after Baku acknowledged the breach and offered to pay each applicant €1,800 (£1,500) in damages and €250 (£210) for legal costs.

The applicants include Saqif Qurbanov and Nuraddin Mammadli, both senior figures from the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP).

Three other activists - Arif Azizzade, Arifa Huseynli, and Dilara Miriyeva - are members of the now-defunct Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare Party (ADR).

In their applications to the Strasbourg-based court, the group said they were repeatedly barred from holding peaceful rallies and that domestic courts had failed to investigate their complaints.

They argued that Azerbaijan had violated Article 11, which protects the right to freedom of assembly, and Article 13, the right to an effective remedy, of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The ADR party ceased its operations in May 2024, one month after its leader, the prominent economist Gubad Ibadoghlu, was released from pre-trial detention to house arrest. Mr Ibadoghlu had been arrested in August 2023 on charges widely criticised by international watchdogs.

Mr Mammadli, 80, retired from his position as chairman of the AXCP's supreme assembly in October 2024, citing his age and declining health.

Although the right to freedom of assembly is enshrined in the Azerbaijani constitution, local authorities and police routinely block opposition attempts to hold public demonstrations in the capital, Baku.

International human rights organisations have repeatedly called on President Ilham Aliyev's administration to respect fundamental freedoms. The ECHR has issued multiple previous rulings against Baku over similar violations.