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Maksim Polovnikov was stripped of his Russian citizenship and deported to Baku for opposing the war in Ukraine. Read the gripping story of his trial, the "disgrace" of new laws, and his journey toward freedom and a fresh start in Azerbaijan.

The CPT's 2025 annual report documents torture, overcrowding, and police violence in European detention facilities, including Azerbaijan.

The European Court of Human Rights has demanded Azerbaijan provide court rulings on Armenian prisoners held in Baku.

A jailed labour rights activist in Azerbaijan is reportedly facing violence in Prison No. 10, with no investigation announced.

Azerbaijan refused a visa to international rights defender Florian Irminger, continuing its pattern of blocking international monitors.

Journalist Polad Aslanov, currently held at Baku Investigation Isolator, has been denied family visits and his phone rights have been severely restricted, his wife Gulmira Aslanova told Meydan TV on April 21.

Amnesty International's 2026 annual report documents deepening repression in Azerbaijan: political prisoners, media shutdowns, and torture.

Икбал Абилов отвечает на приговор к 18 годам тюрьмы и кампанию в СМИ. Ученый отвергает обвинения в госизмене, критикуя «театр абсурда» и «моральное фиаско» следствия. Острые заявления о правовом климате в Азербайджане и преследовании талышеведения.

Read about the travel ban on Samira Gasimli, wife of imprisoned analyst Azer Gasimli. Human rights monitors view this legal restriction as a strategic effort to silence international advocacy regarding political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

Armenian parliament speaker Alen Simonyan pointed out that reaching true reconciliation depends heavily on freeing the Armenian detainees currently kept in Azerbaijan. He also stressed the need to find out exactly what happened to those who went missing over the years. He shared these thoughts during the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, which took place recently in Istanbul, Turkey.

US forces opened fire on an Iranian-flagged ship in the Gulf of Oman, seizing it after it tried to break through a US naval blockade. President Donald Trump and the Pentagon made that announcement on April 19. Iran’s military leaders fired back with threats of retaliation.

Bulgaria’s former president, Rumen Radev, looks set for a big comeback. With about 60% of the ballots counted, his Progressive Bulgaria coalition is pulling in 44.6% of the vote—way ahead of what the polls predicted. This puts him in a position to form a government on his own, or at least lead a strong minority. Still, Radev hasn’t dismissed the idea of teaming up with pro-European or smaller parties.

The situation for political activists in Azerbaijan has become critical, especially with the troubling reports from Prison No. 11. Zamin Salayev, an influential member of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), recently made a desperate appeal on social media, stating that his life is in immediate danger. Fellow activist Ceyhun Novruzov claims that Salayev’s protests against unfair rules and lawlessness in the prison have made him a target for harsh treatment.

Back on December 25, 2024, a passenger plane flying from Baku to Grozny dropped off the radar before crashing near Aktau in Kazakhstan. Thirty-eight people died that day, while twenty-nine somehow survived. What followed was a prolonged period of severe diplomatic tension between Baku and Moscow. For well over a year, the remains of that flight stood as a quiet reminder of the complicated relationships and hidden realities across the South Caucasus region.

The delicate geopolitical balance in the Caucasus is facing a new wave of tension as Russia ramps up its rhetoric against Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union. During a recent briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova delivered a pointed warning: should Tbilisi pursue EU membership, Moscow is prepared to designate Georgia as an "unfriendly state" and trigger a series of "appropriate economic measures" in retaliation.

A major shift in Georgian aviation policy is sparking a heated debate over whether the country’s skies are being managed for scientific progress or the personal comfort of its most powerful figure. Starting April 16, the Georgian government is implementing a massive new restricted airspace zone, known as "Abastumani-2," effectively closing off approximately 2,000 square kilometers in the country’s south.

Nurlan Libre A significant event unfolded during a recent hearing at the Baku Grave Crimes Court, which is currently handling legal cases against independent media in Azerbaijan. Nurlan Libre (Gahramanli), one of the twelve individuals charged in the well-known "Meydan TV case," made an urgent appeal from the glass enclosure within the courtroom. He stated that Elnur Ismayilov, the head of the Baku Detention Center, had taken his indictment papers, thus preventing him from pr

Aykhan Israfilov, who is part of the 'Worker's Table' Trade Union Confederation, was subjected to violence at Penal Facility No. 10, where he is being held.

It is noted that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan are developing in a positive direction. This was officially stated by the former spokesperson of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saeed Khatibzadeh. Khatibzadeh stated that Iran expresses its gratitude to all friendly countries in the region, including Azerbaijan, for their support.