Crude Accountability Executive Director Kate Watters provided remarks for a congressional hearing on the state of human rights in Azerbaijan.

The hearing was held by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, hosted by Chris Smith and James P. McGovern.

The hearing focused on the recent crackdown on civil society in Azerbaijan, including domestic and transnational repression of anti-corruption activists, journalists, and the regime’s critics.

You can watch the recording here.

Crude Accountability signed on with 26 organizations to form the Demand Rights at COP network – a coalition of human rights and climate advocates ensuring that Azerbaijan upholds its international human rights and climate justice obligations in the lead-up to COP29.

Read our statement, and follow the network's campaign on Instagram, Twitter (X), Facebook.

#DemandRightsatCOP

September 12, 2024, was Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu's second birthday spent unjustly detained in Azerbaijan—separated from his family, denied proper medical care, and facing unfounded charges.

As we celebrate Gubad's birthday this month, Crude Accountability Executive Director Kate Watters reflects on Gubad’s impressive work and personal legacy.

Read her remarks on our webpage, "On Gubad’s Birthday, We Must Keep the Spotlight on His Case," and watch our video dedicated to him here.

Happy Birthday, Gubad!

Five years ago, Crude Accountability was at Duke University with Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu to present our Dangerous Work Report—a report about brave environmental defenders who face pressure and harassment for their work, featuring the case of Gubad.

This month, we were at Duke University again, while Gubad Ibadoghlu is unjustly detained in Azerbaijan, separated from his family, and unable to continue his important work.

#freegubad

On August 30, 2024, Crude Accountability joined the global community observing the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances to remember all those who have been forcibly disappeared in the prisons of Turkmenistan.

We stand in solidarity with the victims of disappearances and their families in their struggle for truth and justice.

Watch our video to commemorate their occasion, and learn more about Enforced Disappearances in the OSCE region on our site.

#IDVED 

#EndEnforcedDisappearances

Crude Accountability joined Human Rights First and 95 other leading human rights organizations in a letter urging the U.S. Treasury and State Departments to address the declining use of Global Magnitsky legislature and act on recommendations from global civil society.

Read the letter here.

#GloMag

#Magnitsky

Our Board member, Dr. Neil Tangri, was quoted in an L.A. Times article titled "Has a UC Berkeley chemistry lab discovered the holy grail of plastic recycling?"

As science and policy director at the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Dr. Tangri questions the efficiency of a new plastic recycling method and calls attention to the environmental damage of re-purposing plastic. Get the full story here.