April 2024

Welcome to Caspian Voices, Crude Accountability's monthly newsletter for scholars, policy-makers, and civil society members.

In this edition, we share an important update on our friend and colleague Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu's imprisonment and continue to call for his unconditional release in Azerbaijan. Additionally, we spoke with Zhala Bayramova to learn more about her father's condition and what to expect from COP29 in Baku. Delving deeper, Kate Watters and Jeffrey Dunn published a commentary article with more facts on the country’s environmental and human rights record. Also, we look into the health of the environment and civil society in the Caspian region at a research conference and our latest articles.

Join us in uncovering narratives, promoting transparency, and advocating for environmental justice in the Caspian and Black Sea regions, and beyond.

Trans-Ili Alatau, Kazakhstan. AdobeStock

Pressure Mounts for Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu's Unconditional Release

On April 22, Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu was transferred from the detention center where he was being held to house arrest while he awaits trial on May 20th.

He was transferred due to severe health problems, which require immediate and urgent attention. Dr. Ibadoghlu still faces spurious charges and a potential prison term of up to 17 years. The international community must continue to raise awareness about Dr. Ibadoghlu’s case. We demand his immediate and unconditional release.

#freegubad

Interview with Zhala Bayramova

We sat down with Zhala Bayramova, human rights lawyer and daughter of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, to discuss the health condition of her father, the expectations for environmental leaders and organizers at COP29 in Baku, and the suppression of civil society in Azerbaijan under the Aliyev Regime.

Listen to Zhala's remarks in a video series here.

#freegubad #cop29baku

Azerbaijan Is Ramping Up Human Rights and Environmental Abuses

Our Executive Director Kate Watters and Research Coordinator Jeffrey Dunn highlight the upcoming COP29 host’s dependence on oil and aggressive crackdown on dissenting voices in a new commentary article, “Ahead of Hosting COP29, Azerbaijan Is Ramping Up Human Rights and Environmental Abuses,” on Inkstick Media.

#cop29baku

GW University: Building Resilience in Central Asia

Crude Accountability participated in the annual Central Asia Program Security Workshop at George Washington University, "Preserving Central Asia’s Environment: Strategies for Sustainability," to address the degradation of the environment by big oil and kleptocracies, and discuss the state of civil society and the need to protect human rights.

Watch some highlights of Kate's remarks at the event here.

Updated Website Articles

We're committed to sharing the latest developments in the Caspian and Black Sea regions. So, we've updated two of our previous articles on our website to reflect the current state of affairs in Azerbaijan:

Human Rights and Climate Crisis: Azerbaijan to Host COP29

The Middle Corridor: Insiders, Corruption, and the Aktu Modernization Project

Goldman Environmental Prize 2024

The 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize winners have been announced – grassroots environmental leaders who prove that ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact on the planet.

Watch yesterday's ceremony on the Goldman Environmental Prize YouTube channel.

#GoldmanPrize

Images in this newsletter are licensed for editorial use via Adobe Stock or belong to Crude Accountability.

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