Incident reports
jailed journalist on hunger strike [updated April 5, 2022]
february 9, 2021[Update] Polad Aslanov was reportedly beaten by another inmate. The news were shared by Aslanov’s wife, who in protest stood outside the Penitentiary Service holding a sign, that read “End Torture,” reported Meydan TV. Speaking to Meydan TV, Gulmira Aslanova said the head of the penitentiary service confirmed the beating, adding that the prison inmate […]
opposition party boss seeks justice at the European Court of Human Rights
january 18, 2021Ali Karimli, the head of the opposition Popular Front Party, and his spouse Samara Seyidova said they are preparing for the European Court of Human Rights, having received no response from domestic courts concerning their home internet connections being cut off since April of last year. AIW was documenting Karimli’s case since April 13 when […]
Azerbaijan September – November 2020 OONI Measurement Results
december 1, 2020On September 27, the government in Azerbaijan introduced a series of restrictions on Internet access as a result of military operations in Nagorno Karabakh. Users in Azerbaijan were left with limited Internet access while access to a number of social media platforms, as well as communication apps, were restricted. Azerbaijan Internet Watch, and OONI collected […]
peace activists targeted online [updated]
october 9, 2020Since the war over Nagorno Karabakh began on September 27, scores of peace activists in Azerbaijan have been targeted both online and offline for their views. From public Facebook posts and pages targeting the activists, with threats of violence and physical harm, calls for public shaming and punishment, to questioning at Security Services, this has […]
spotted: sandvine back at it, this time, in Azerbaijan
october 8, 2020In August, when people in Belarus took the streets across the country in protest of election results where incumbent President Lukashenka secured yet another victory in a contested presidential election, authorities deliberately cut the internet. Quickly, experts concluded DPI technology may be in use. By the end of August, it was reported that this DPI […]
country-wide internet disruptions reported in Azerbaijan [updated]
september 27, 2020[UPDATE] On November 12, access to the Internet was finally restored across the country in Azerbaijan. This was shared in an announcement shared by the Ministry of Communication, Transportation and High Technologies on November 11. In a statement, the Ministry said: The temporary restriction on Internet access imposed in our country in order to prevent […]
facebook page affiliated with opposition hacked, again
september 16, 2020On September 10, the Facebook page that belongs to an online news website bastainfo.com was hacked. Bastainfo.com is affiliated with the opposition party Musavat and is known for often running into problems with the authorities. Its editor was handed a five year suspended sentence in February 2019. The website bastainfo.com remains blocked for access in […]
activist blackmailed online [updated September 9]
september 8, 2020Rustam Ismayilbeyli is an 18-year-old activist from Azerbaijan who was arrested earlier this summer for staging a protest outside the Ministry of Education. Together with a group of students, he was demanding that the Ministry cancels tuition fees and exams for the academic semester as a result of Covid19. After three of the organizers including […]
hacking alert: activists and journalists targeted online [ongoing, last update September 10]
july 15, 2020Several activists and journalists had their Facebook accounts compromised in recent weeks in Azerbaijan. At the end of June, a veteran human rights lawyer, Intigam Aliyev, reported a break-in attempt into his Facebook profile. A few days later, an opposition group D18 reported their Facebook page was compromised. On July 2, journalist Aysel Umudova and […]
member of an opposition party fined over social media post [Last update July 9]
june 29, 2020July 6, Gachay Gafarov, member of the opposition party Popular Front, sentenced to 15 days in administrative detention according to Azadliq Radio. Gafarov is accused of disobeying police. According to party headquarters, Gafarov was detained over his social media post critical of the police that Gafarov posted on the day of the police. July 5, […]