International Advocacy for Bahruz Samadov: A Call for Freedom

Bahruz Samadov

Global organizations are intensifying their pressure on Azerbaijan to release Bahruz Samadov, a prominent peace activist and researcher. Organizations such as Scholars at Risk, Amnesty International, and the International Assistance Fund for Norwegian Students and Academics (SAIH) have formally petitioned President Ilham Aliyev, arguing that Samadov’s detention is a direct violation of international human rights. A doctoral student at Charles University in Prague, Samadov was sentenced to 15 years in prison on treason charges, a verdict his supporters claim is a retaliation for his academic work and peaceful advocacy regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

The urgency of this appeal is underscored by Samadov’s deteriorating health and isolation. Currently held in the high-security Umbakı prison, he is separated from his only family member and remains in a fragile mental state, reportedly driven to multiple suicide attempts by harsh prison conditions. Advocates emphasize that his imprisonment contradicts Azerbaijan's commitments to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and undermines the nation's credibility in ongoing peace negotiations. The international community maintains that investigating conflict and advocating for peace should never be treated as a criminal act against the state.