Stories from Quick Reads and Azerbaijan
In Azerbaijan authorities remain silent over the murder of a trans woman
In general, for many LGBTQ+ individuals who face discrimination and violence, there is little recourse through the police or any official judicial channels in Azerbaijan.
Presidential election in Azerbaijan show old habits die hard
This election was business as usual in Azerbaijan with manipulation and violations, including carousel voting, ballot stuffing, and aggressive behavior toward independent observers and journalists throughout the day.
The Baku Connection: Journalists across the world unite to support Azerbaijan's Abzas Media
Some 40 journalists from 15 media outlets have joined the project since its launch as Abzas Media team who started the investigations, await trial in Baku.
Between four walls: The suppressed voices of peace in Azerbaijan
It’s a landscape where the very act of speaking out often comes at a steep cost, both in terms of personal sacrifice and the relentless pressure they face.
Head of Azerbaijan's Presidential Security Service implicated in corruption scandal
Baku's InterContinental hotel has a suspicious history. When the land around the hotel was put up for auction, the details of the land's address and size were purposefully blacked out.
Azerbaijan continues to keep its land borders closed, citing COVID-19 as a concern
Three years on, while the world, including Azerbaijan, lifted most, if not all, pandemic-related restrictions, Azerbaijan continues to keep its land borders closed for passenger traffic, citing the pandemic as a threat.
In Azerbaijan, couriers are facing intimidation and arrests at the hands of the state
The recent wave of arrests and persecution are linked to the changes adopted to Article 27 of the Law on Traffic in December 2022.
And then there were none — how political parties are disappearing in Azerbaijan
Opposition political parties have long struggled in Azerbaijan, faced with arrests, detentions, financial hurdles, or persecution of their members.
President Erdoğan's obsession with childbirth expands past Turkey's borders
Independent economists say under existing economic conditions and salaries, it is nearly impossible to support five children in Azerbaijan.
In Azerbaijan, violence against LGBTQ+ people continues unabated
According to ILGA Europe, an international non-governmental organization advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms, Azerbaijan occupies the last place among 49 countries on the organization's Rainbow Index consecutively for three years in a row.
‘Telman was here': the story of an Azerbaijani man searching for a better life
At 50, Telman spends his days walking the streets of Baku going through every trash box he finds, collecting recyclable items, food, and dreaming of a better life.
Armenia and Azerbaijan take one step forward, three steps back in mending relations
Since active fighting ceased between Armenia and Azerbaijan in November 2020, following the 44-day war, there have been numerous attempts to normalize ties and relations between the two neighbors.
Azerbaijan evacuates its embassy staff after deadly attack in Tehran
A gunman stormed the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran, Iran's capital city. This is the latest attack on the country's diplomatic missions abroad.
Police in Azerbaijan detain protesters on the day of activist's trial
On December 23, as an appeals court in Baku ruled to keep Hajiyev behind bars, a group of supporters attempted to stage a protest in support of Hajiyev.
Azerbaijan arrests prominent political activist ahead of International Human Rights Day
Prominent activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev is facing a possible three-year jail sentence if found guilty on two separate charges — hooliganism and contempt of court. Activists say the arrest is politically motivated.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Iran peak again
Azerbaijan and Iran have been saber-rattling and exchanging hostile rhetoric in weeks of heightened tensions.
Police detains scores of activists at an opposition party rally in Azerbaijan
According to local media reports, police started rounding up members of the party and other attendees hours ahead of the scheduled rally.
A young chef in Baku turns his flat into a restaurant
The space is not just a restaurant but is also a studio. Photo and video shoots are done here, and content is created for various culinary platforms.
In Azerbaijan, police detain peace activist ahead of International Day of Peace
According to police records, Mammadli was arrested on the grounds of resisting police, an accusation common among punitive measures used in Azerbaijan to target political and civic activists.
Baku residents brace for higher costs, annoyances, and logistical issues ahead of Formula 1 race
As Baku is once again hosting the Formula 1 race between June 10–12, residents are in disagreement about whether the race is worth the cost, annoyances, and logistical issues.
Azerbaijan rocked by a new wave of politically motivated arrests
Civil society and rights advocates and state critics have for years faced targeted harassment, intimidation, and arrests. The most recent wave of crackdowns attests to the standing tradition.