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ULB expresses its grave concern following the arrest of young Azerbaijani researcher Bahruz Samadov
Published on September 2, 2024
– Updated on September 2, 2024
ULB has expressed its grave concern following the arrest of Bahruz Samadov, a young 29-year-old Azerbaijani researcher, which took place who was detained on 21 August 2024. Bahruz Samadov, a political science PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague, undertakes research on authoritarianism in Azerbaijan by providing a critical and rigorous view of the regime currently in power in his country. He was to pursue his research at Poznan University at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year.
ULB had the pleasure and honour of welcoming Bahruz Samadov on two occasions in 2022 and 2023 during a lecture, then as part of a joint research group that, in particular, brought together young Azerbaijani and Armenian researchers with a view to updating the historiography of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, as well as to promoting discussion and peace.
Bahruz Samadov, an intellectual who is very active on the public stage, has published numerous papers in academic circles and in the media, which have shed light on the complex nature of Azerbaijani society against a backdrop of recurrent outbreaks of war. By courageously taking a stand from the very first day against the war, which broke out once again in his country in 2020, he was exposed to a massive smear campaign.
He is being held in pre-trial detention and is accused of treason against the State for having taken part in meetings with Armenian colleagues, held under the auspices of European bodies and, if convicted, faces a sentence ranging from twelve years to life imprisonment. Bahruz Samadov was psychologically and physically mistreated when arrested. He began a hunger strike after having been beaten. His detention conditions are highly alarming.
Following his arrest, some of his colleagues and other Azerbaijani peace activists, close to Samadov, were detained and questioned by Azerbaijani police. They are banned from leaving the country and constantly live in fear of being arrested.
We, as his colleagues and academics, express our solidarity and call for his immediate release.
We call on universities, concerned about his condition, as well as the entire international academic community to disseminate information about his situation and to express their strong solidarity with him, by signing this open letter.
The University reasserts its wholehearted commitment to academic freedom around the world.
Bahruz Samadov, an intellectual who is very active on the public stage, has published numerous papers in academic circles and in the media, which have shed light on the complex nature of Azerbaijani society against a backdrop of recurrent outbreaks of war. By courageously taking a stand from the very first day against the war, which broke out once again in his country in 2020, he was exposed to a massive smear campaign.
He is being held in pre-trial detention and is accused of treason against the State for having taken part in meetings with Armenian colleagues, held under the auspices of European bodies and, if convicted, faces a sentence ranging from twelve years to life imprisonment. Bahruz Samadov was psychologically and physically mistreated when arrested. He began a hunger strike after having been beaten. His detention conditions are highly alarming.
Following his arrest, some of his colleagues and other Azerbaijani peace activists, close to Samadov, were detained and questioned by Azerbaijani police. They are banned from leaving the country and constantly live in fear of being arrested.
We, as his colleagues and academics, express our solidarity and call for his immediate release.
We call on universities, concerned about his condition, as well as the entire international academic community to disseminate information about his situation and to express their strong solidarity with him, by signing this open letter.
The University reasserts its wholehearted commitment to academic freedom around the world.
CONTACT
- presse@ulb.be
- Aude Merlin, professeure de science politique à l’Université libre de Bruxelles, membre du Centre d’étude de la vie politique (CEVIPOL), spécialiste de la Russie et du Caucase – Tel : 0475485057 - aude.merlin@ulb.be
- Anita Khachaturova, doctorante, membre du CEVIPOL ses intérêts de recherche incluent notamment la politique du Caucase du Sud et les conflits post-soviétiques - anita.khachaturova@ulb.be
Crédit photo : Bahruz Samadov
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