Azerbaijan

Ahmad Mammadli in a screenshot of the video filmed from a police van after his arrest. The 21-year-old chair of the pro-democracy group Democracy-1918 (D18) was detained on September 20 on charges of resisting police officers; the activist has been a vocal critic of Azerbaijani authorities' shelling inside Armenia's territory.

Anti-War Sentiments on the Rise in Azerbaijan

The recent escalation caught many by surprise, emboldening voices among the political opposition.

23 Sep 22

Yepraksya Zadayan's house, in the village of Verishen, just outside the southern city of Goris, was hit by the Azerbaijani armed forces at midnight on September 12, 2022. On September 12-14 fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan resumed, nearly 300 people died over two days. © Armine Avetisyan

Armenia-Azerbaijan: The Demise of Diplomacy?

New escalation threatens the outlook for engagement, despite the clear benefits for both sides.

14 Sep 22

Ayten Osmanova arranges a colourful hijab in her atelier in Azerbaijan's capital Baku. The designer started her fashion business to cater for the increasing number of liberal believers who, like her, sought a modest apparel with a modern, colourful twist. © Lamyia Adilgizi

Azerbaijani Women Embrace The Headscarf

Islam is on the rise in the oil-rich, secular South Caucasus country and the hijab is a way to make a statement.

26 Jul 22

Azerbaijani journalist Ayten Mammadova was assaulted in the building where she lives in the capital Baku, an threatened at knifepoint by an unknown man who warned against reporting over an ongoing trial.

Azerbaijani Journalist Threatened Over High-Profile Trial

Rights organisations maintain that systematic lack of action in investigating such crimes serves to empower perpetrators.

13 May 22

Azerbaijan’s Balancing Act between Russia and Ukraine

With Russian peacekeepers in Nagorny Karabakh, the region is Baku’s Achilles’ heel.

18 Mar 22

Cranes tower the Caspian Sea shore in Azerbaijan's capital Baku. The government in the oil-rich nation increased the costs of gas and electricity twice in 2021, but experts warn that there is no economic justification for the price hikes. © IWPR / Monica Ellena

Azerbaijan: Soaring Energy Prices Fuel Discontent

State blames increasing cost on global market, while analysts see exploitation and corruption at fault.

17 Jan 22

Toivo Klaar, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, overseeing the repatriation of 10 Armenian servicemen in December 2021.

Can the EU Support Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace?

While Brussels is keen to provide technical help and mediation, its role can only go so far.

6 Jan 22

Khor Virap monastery lies a few hundred metres from the Armenia - Turkish border. It overlooks Mount Ararat, a symbol of Armenian identity, which is located on Turkish territory. © Creative Commons

Assessing Armenia-Turkey Normalisation

After decades of strained relations, why are they finally making serious moves towards re-opening ties?

16 Dec 21

Armenian servicemen in frontline trenches separating the Armenian-controlled territory from the Azerbaijani forces in Nagorny Karabakh, pictured in April 2016. © Monica Ellena

The Open Wound of Armenia’s POWs

As Azerbaijan captures 13 Armenian servicemen amid the worst fighting since the 2020 war, the fate of other prisoners of war remains uncertain.

25 Nov 21

Activists in Azerbaijan warn that violence against women is rising.

Azerbaijan: “Half-Hearted” State Policy Blamed for Gender Violence

Officials accuse campaigners of politicising the issue to suit their own agenda.

2 Sep 21

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