Jailed Azerbaijan activists declare political prisoners day

A group of jailed Azerbaijani journalists and civil rights activists have declared 18 November as a national day to mark the plight of political prisoners.

The date marks the anniversary of the death of Faina Kunqurova, a political activist who died during a prison hunger strike in 2007, aged 33. She is widely regarded by domestic activists as the country’s first female political prisoner under the current administration.

In a joint statement published by independent media outlets Toplum TV and Meydan TV, the 28 signatories criticised the 30-year rule of the Aliyev family, arguing that civil liberties have severely deteriorated.

"The current authoritarian government has totally restricted all political, economic, and cultural freedoms, suffocated political competition, and completely destroyed media and civil society institutions," the statement said.

The group called on the Azerbaijani public and the international community to observe the day annually, starting on 18 November 2026, and to visit Kunqurova's grave to honour her memory.

The detainees behind the declaration include prominent independent journalists Sevinc Vaqifqizi and Ulvi Hasanli, alongside civil society figures Akif Qurbanov and Ruslan Izzatli. Many of the signatories were arrested during recent government crackdowns on independent media platforms, including Abzas Media and Toplum TV.

The Union for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan, a local monitoring group, estimated in May that there were 328 political prisoners in the country, including nine female journalists.

Azerbaijani officials have consistently denied holding political prisoners, maintaining that everyone in custody has been charged with specific criminal offences and that no one is targeted for their political activities or journalistic work.