On the eve of COP29, reports indicate that there are over 300 political prisoners held in Azerbaijani prisons.

On November 8, the III Republican Platform ("ResPlatforma") released a statement regarding the human rights situation in Azerbaijan ahead of COP29.

The statement emphasized that since November 2023, the human rights situation in Azerbaijan has sharply deteriorated. During this time, the Azerbaijani government has implemented unprecedented repression against political opposition, independent civil society, and critical media.

"Referring to international legal obligations concerning human rights, including the Paris Agreement, we assert that the issues of climate change and human rights are interconnected. Consequently, it is essential to uphold human rights obligations while implementing policies aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change," the document states.

The statement highlights that the speaker and leader of "ResPlatforma," Akif Gurbanov, along with Ruslan Izzetli, a member of the Founding Board, are among the victims of repression. They have been imprisoned since March 2024 as part of a politically motivated criminal case.

In light of the issues raised in the statement, "ResPlatforma" has made several calls to participants of COP29, including state representatives, their authorized delegates, and international non-governmental organizations and their representatives, urging them to address the following practical requirements:

1. COP29 participants should recognize the inseparability of climate policy and human rights as international legal obligations and implement their measures accordingly during COP29;

2. Participants of COP29 should clearly and publicly condemn the increased repression and the worsening human rights situation in Azerbaijan that began in November 2023. They should demand that the Azerbaijani government put an end to these repressive actions and address the negative impacts of the deteriorating human rights conditions;

3. COP29 participants should name the victims of repression, including Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzatli, in their public statements and speeches. They should also call for their immediate and unconditional release as well as the full restoration of their rights;

4. Participants of COP29 should visit the unjustly imprisoned victims of repression, including Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzatli, in their prisons;

5. Participants of COP29 should continue to address these issues during the one-year follow-up period after the Conference concludes.

Local human rights defenders report that there are over 300 political prisoners in Azerbaijan.