Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Abuses Should Bar it From Ever Hosting the COP Summit

Journalists face harassment, blackmail and bribery attempts. If they resist, they are thrown into prison. Those that leave face their families being persecuted.

Ruben was captured when the Azerbaijani army was sent into Nagorno-Karabakh, which is a disputed region between Azerbaijan and Armenia, where he was trying to protect the local Armenian population from the coming violence. After a ten month long absolute siege which denied local people food, fuel and basic medical supplies, Azerbaijan forced more than 100,000 Armenians to leave their homes and possessions and flee for safety. Many have called it a genocide.

Ruben is a skilled and committed business leader. He has devoted himself to a wide range of philanthropic causes, including schools, colleges and the Aurora Prize, which recognizes individuals for their extraordinary humanitarian work around the world (and for which I sit on the Board).

Now the international community has an opportunity to respond to his illegal detainment, and that of the other illegally held Armenian prisoners. Barely a year after their naked aggression, in November Azerbaijan is due to host the COP29 United Nations Summit on climate change in its capital, Baku. These are the biggest international climate talks of the year.

That Baku was ever chosen as the host city is highly contentious. Almost half of its GDP, and 90 percent of its export revenue, comes from oil and gas production. The country’s President has no serious interest in tackling climate change or reducing emissions. Indeed, earlier this year President Aliyev said he wanted to increase gas production by a third over the next decade, and has made clear that hosting COP29 will not them from investing in the gas “provided by God.”

Government representatives have claimed that they want this to be the “COP of Peace.” This is despite having invaded a neighboring country less than a year ago, and having not yet secured a fair peace deal, nor showing any real intention towards doing so. They continue to hold the political prisoners, and are failing to improve human rights. Just a few days ago [4 July] Amnesty International called on the United Nations to make sure the Azerbaijani authorities uphold the international rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly for all those attending COP.