Council of Europe representative calls for release of Azerbaijani opposition scientist
The General Rapporteur on political prisoners of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Sunna Evarsdottir said that the Azerbaijani scientist-economist and chairman of the opposition Democracy and Prosperity Party Gubad Ibadoglu should be released.
“Mr. Ibadoglu is an independent economist, politician and critic of the Azerbaijani government. Part of his academic research has focused on corruption in the nation's public institutions. Notably, in June 2023, Ibadoglu established a foundation for the education of young Azerbaijanis, saying it would be funded by donations and foreign assets confiscated from Azerbaijani elites allegedly involved in corruption,” Evarsdottir said.
According to the speaker, Ibadoglu was brutally detained on July 23 and subsequently arrested. He has been unfoundedly accused of making, buying or selling counterfeit money and faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.
