Azerbaijan | US Senator: Azerbaijan should release 15 dissidents

of the United States the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ben Cardin demands Azerbaijan to release 15 dissidents before the UN climate conference (COP29) in Baku in November.

According to Senator Cardin of the state of Maryland, organizing a major international meeting like the UN climate conference should bring with it certain responsibilities. Among other things, the host country should recognize freedom of speech and assembly. According to Cardin, Azerbaijan has not done so.

“If Azerbaijan seeks to establish a sustainable cooperative relationship with the Euro-Atlantic community, I call on President Aliyev to release these (people) unjustly imprisoned by his administration,” Cardin said.

Among the 15 dissidents mentioned by Cardini are environmental activists, editors and journalists who have opposed corruption, and Armenians. In recent decades, Azerbaijan and its neighboring country Armenia have been fighting for the control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region located between the countries.

The UN climate conference will be held in Baku from 11 to 22. November. It largely focuses on how wealthy industrialized nations should support poorer nations to adapt to climate change. However, there is considerable controversy over, among other things, how much these states should pay.

Caspian Sea Azerbaijan, located on the coast, is a rich gas-producing country. Azerbaijan has said earlier this year that it hopes to raise more money from fossil fuel producers for green transition projects in developing countries. However, environmental activists have criticized the goals announced by Azerbaijan as greenwashing.

Azerbaijan, located in the Caucasus, is a former republic of the Soviet Union and has served as its president since 2003 Ilham Aliyev. He followed his father in his mission Heydar Aliyevwho had served as the third president of independent Azerbaijan from 1993 to 2003. In addition, Heydar Aliyev had served during the Soviet Union as the leader of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982.

Has served as the vice president of Azerbaijan since 2017 Mehriban Aliyevawho is the spouse of President Ilham Aliyev.