{"id":23939,"date":"2026-09-07T14:25:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T14:25:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/?p=23939"},"modified":"2026-09-07T14:40:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T14:40:31","slug":"azerbaijan-human-rights-defender-anar-mammadli-sentenced-to-13-years-in-prison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2026\/09\/07\/azerbaijan-human-rights-defender-anar-mammadli-sentenced-to-13-years-in-prison.html","title":{"rendered":"Azerbaijan: Human rights defender Anar Mammadli sentenced to 13 years in prison"},"content":{"rendered":"

PEN Belarus joins the statement<\/a> by Maria Dahle, Human Rights House Foundation\u2019s Director in reaction to today\u2019s sentencing of human rights defender Anar Mammadli in Azerbaijan.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cToday marks a day of deep sorrow and disgrace as Anar Mammadli, one of Azerbaijan\u2019s leading human rights defenders and a close and longstanding colleague of ours, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no mistaking what this sentencing is: punishment for Mammadli\u2019s independent and legitimate work defending human rights, monitoring elections and advocating for democracy in his home country. The charges against him are entirely politically motivated, and his conviction is a clear act of retaliation by the Azerbaijani authorities.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor almost three decades, Mammadli has bravely raised the alarm over the decline of democracy and rights protection in Azerbaijan. For this work, he already spent two and a half years as a political prisoner before his release in 2016. But this did not stop him. He continued his election observation work, as well as international advocacy, calling for freedom for political prisoners and for a stronger legal and political environment for human rights defenders.\u00a0His courage and contribution to human rights have been recognised internationally, including through the Council of Europe\u2019s prestigious V\u00e1clav Havel Human Rights Prize.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis sentencing comes amid one of the most severe periods of political repression in Azerbaijan\u2019s recent history. It is part of a wider crackdown on what remains of independent civil society in the country, with journalists, activists, members of academia and human rights defenders facing politically motivated detentions, abuse, criminal charges and exile.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Anar Mammadli and all those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights with peaceful means. We urge the international community and states with relations to Azerbaijan to use every available diplomatic and political pressure to demand their release.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnar Mammadli must not become another forgotten political prisoner. His freedom and the freedom of Azerbaijan\u2019s independent civil society must be protected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Notes to Editors<\/strong><\/p>\n