The 2024 annual report by Human Rights Watch reveals that Azerbaijan has taken no meaningful steps to guarantee the safe and dignified return of ethnic Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 or to restore their property rights. The report highlights that Azerbaijan has failed to uphold its commitments to international standards and fundamental human rights principles.
Following Azerbaijan’s military operations in September 2023, which reasserted control over Nagorno-Karabakh, the government has not provided the necessary guarantees or plans for the safe return of displaced Armenians.
The report also sheds light on the country’s internal repression, noting that the government has continued its crackdown on political opposition, journalists, and activists. In 2024, a new wave of arrests targeted prominent critics, including journalists, human rights defenders, and other civil society figures.
Elections held in February and September 2024 failed to meet free and fair voting standards, according to the report, which described them as further evidence of “civil society suppression.”
International scrutiny of Azerbaijan’s human rights record has also intensified. In January 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) decided not to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan’s delegation, citing non-compliance with fundamental obligations.
Human Rights Watch emphasizes that fundamental freedoms, including the rights to free speech, assembly, and association, remain severely restricted in Azerbaijan. These ongoing human rights issues remain a significant concern for the international community.