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November 2, 2024 – Azerbaijan –
On November 2, 2024, Azerbaijan formally recognized the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, echoing global efforts to combat violence and legal persecution targeting media workers. The state news agency AZERTAG noted that this year’s international commemoration will occur on November 6–7 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, under the theme “Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies.” The initiative commemorates the first IDEI event held in Strasbourg in 2014, following the UN resolution that established the observance in 2013 after two journalists were killed in Mali.
IDEI serves to highlight the persistent, often deadly, risks journalists face globally, ranging from extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances to detention, torture, and digital harassment. AZERTAG emphasized the UN Plan of Action’s role in uniting governments, NGOs, and media to prevent attacks, protect journalists, and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted.
Yet, this ceremony in Baku unfolds amid a deeply troubling context at home. A report by the Justice for Journalists Foundation recorded at least 132 attacks on Azerbaijani media workers in 2024 alone—90% of which were state-linked, ranging from judicial harassment to physical assaults. Many of these incidents, including the arrests and prison sentences of Abzas Media and Meydan TV journalists, are widely seen as part of a broader state campaign to eliminate independent reporting.
Despite hosting COP29 and participating in global media initiatives, Azerbaijan continues to imprison journalists on contrived charges like smuggling, tax evasion, and receiving foreign funds. At least 21 journalists have been jailed since late 2023, earning Azerbaijan a place among the world’s worst jailers of press workers.
While Azerbaijan publicly affirms solidarity with international efforts to end impunity, domestically,y its actions tell a different story. The global theme of “Safety in Crises and Emergencies” starkly contrasts with the reality in Baku, where state-backed harassment and legal intimidation of journalists continue unabated.
Azerbaijan’s IDEI observance, therefore, risks appearing as symbolic rhetoric unless swiftly matched by internal legal reforms, transparent investigations, and the release of imprisoned journalists. Until such steps are taken, the killing, persecution, and silencing of journalists at home will overshadow its global messaging about ending impunity.
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