The Azerbaijani authorities do not release political prisoners, but increase their number with new arrests. Their number exceeded 200 people, the leading opposition party Popular Front of Azerbaijan (PFPA) stated. Previously, she refused to nominate her candidate for the country's early presidential elections.

“Political arrests and sentences have become the main tool of the administration of current President Ilham Aliyev. He wants to go on the election show, scheduled for February 7, 2024, weakening the position of the opposition and his critics as much as possible. This is one of the reasons for the repressions that have worsened in the country in recent months,” the PFPA statement said.

The document notes that, in addition to the arrests of Tofig Yagublu, Gubad Ibadoglu and many other well-known politicians, six employees of the independent online publication Abzas Media were recently imprisoned in pretrial detention. PFPA called on the Azerbaijani public to more resolutely protect political prisoners.

Previously, these phenomena were repeatedly condemned by international human rights organizations, as well as by the governments of Europe and the United States.