Head of Advocacy at Index on Censorship

As Azerbaijan celebrates the 20th anniversary of its independence from the USSR, the country stands at the crossroads of history. Azerbaijan has a rich tradition of democratic politics, having established the world's first Muslim parliamentary republic in 1918 and granted universal suffrage that same year. Furthermore, the country's capital, Baku, is one of the birthplaces of the modern oil industry. Azerbaijani democrats who challenged Soviet power in the 1980s pursued the twin goals of rediscovering their democratic heritage and realising Azerbaijan potential as an oil producer and exporter. The dream of democracy and prosperity for all animated the national movement and bore the promise of Azerbaijan as a model for Muslim secular republicanism. 

 

However, the reality of the last twenty years raises considerable doubt as to whether this dream can be realised. Ongoing conflict with neighbouring Armenia resulted in a catastrophic refugee crisis and some 16% of Azerbaijani territory being occupied, whilst the 1993 coup ended the hope of a steady transition to democracy. Today Azerbaijan is ruled by an increasingly authoritarian regime under President Ilham Aliev, who inherited the presidency from his late father, former KGB general, Heydar Aliev. The regime was quick to sign oil contracts with global energy companies and today Azerbaijan is in the middle of a major oil boom. Yet the country suffers from one of the highest corruption rates in the world, rampant inequality and massive outward migration. Widespread human rights abuses, persecution of opposition activists, systemic violations of freedom of speech and clamp down on independent and international media characteriseeveryday reality in Azerbaijan. 

By kind invitation of Paul Flynn MP, the Henry Jackson Society is pleased to invite you to a discussion with John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Deputy Programme Director of Amnesty International, Murad Gassanly, co-founder and  Acting Director of Azerbaijan Democratic Association, UK, and Michael Harris, Head of Advocacy at Index on Censorship. John, Murad and Michael all have extensive experience in this area and will be addressing the key questions now facing Azerbaijan. Can the situation in Azerbaijan change? Is there hope for a democratic transformation and economic justice? What can Britain (Azerbaijan's chief foreign investor) and the wider international community do to facilitate progress?"