Freedom House has reported a strengthening of dictatorship in Azerbaijan

According to the international human rights organization Freedom House's "Freedom in the World 2026" report, authoritarian rule in Azerbaijan, centered around President Ilham Aliyev and his family, has continued to strengthen for two decades.

It is noted that since 2003, the head of state has consistently expanded his powers, eliminating presidential term limits and weakening the independence of the courts and media. As a result, Freedom House emphasizes, corruption has deepened, and state-owned resources have become a source of enrichment for the ruling elite.

According to the organization, oil revenues are used to maintain power, while state media discredits the opposition. When these methods fail, the Azerbaijani regime resorts to repression: journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition figures are arrested and persecuted. According to the report, Azerbaijan has remained a "not free" country since 2002, with its score falling from 33 to 6 out of 100 over two decades.

Последние новости
Nikol Pashinyan Accuses Former Armenian Presidents of Concealing the Truth About Karabakh
Politics
Nikol Pashinyan Accuses Former Armenian Presidents of Concealing the Truth About Karabakh
19 March 2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused his predecessors—former presidents Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan, and Serzh Sargsyan—of concealing the truth about the Karabakh settlement from the Armenian people. At a briefing in Yerevan, the head of the Armenian government noted that all these politicians in opposition to the current government recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan but did not disclose this information to the public.

Freedom House has reported a strengthening of dictatorship in Azerbaijan
Human rights
Freedom House has reported a strengthening of dictatorship in Azerbaijan
19 March 2026

According to the international human rights organization Freedom House's "Freedom in the World 2026" report, authoritarian rule in Azerbaijan, centered around President Ilham Aliyev and his family, has continued to strengthen for two decades.

Pashinyan again criticized the Armenian Constitution for impeding a peace agreement with Azerbaijan
Politics
Pashinyan again criticized the Armenian Constitution for impeding a peace agreement with Azerbaijan
19 March 2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan described the issue of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution as an internal problem for the country. He compared the current situation to moving to a new apartment, where threats are proclaimed instead of good neighborly relations, making life in the same environment unbearable.

US Lawmakers Call for Sanctions Against Georgian Authorities
Politics
US Lawmakers Call for Sanctions Against Georgian Authorities
19 March 2026

Members of the US Senate and House of Representatives called on the US government to cooperate with its European partners to impose sanctions against the Georgian government. This statement followed the release of a critical OSCE report prepared under the Moscow Mechanism.