“Ibadoglu should be released immediately” |

Senators urged Blinken to carefully approach the issue

Last week, a group of US senators submitted a new resolution to the Senate calling for the immediate release of imprisoned economist Gubad Ibadoglu.

“Turan” reported on this on March 25.

It is reported that this step was taken after the release of the version of the “Ibadoglu Resolution” supported by 26 congressmen on February 14.

The Senate version, called Resolution 616, was co-sponsored on March 22 by Senator Tom Tillis (R-North Carolina) on his own behalf and by Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Bill Cassidy (R-Los Angeles), Tim Kaine (R-Virginia) and John Fetterman ( It was presented on behalf of senators such as Pennsylvania Democrat).

The resolution was submitted to the international relations committee of the Senate.

According to Tom Tillis, the respected scientist and economist Gubad Ibadoglu has been falsely accused by the Azerbaijani authorities of numerous criminal acts without any evidence, and he is still awaiting trial in extremely poor conditions in the Baku Pre-trial Detention Center.

““Dr. Ibadoglu’s health deteriorated significantly after his arrest and he did not receive adequate medical care.” – the senators say.

They said that during the detention, Ibadoglu was deprived of the opportunity to communicate with a lawyer and to have a fair trial: “The State Department and the US Embassy in Baku, as well as US academic institutions and respected international organizations, expressed their deep concerns about Dr. Ibadoglu’s health and demanded his immediate release.”

The senators noted that the illegal arrests of persons engaged in human rights, journalism and peaceful expression of opinion, including Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, Avaz Zeynalli and others, damaged Azerbaijan’s relations with the Union of Democratic Countries.

They condemn the government of Azerbaijan for illegal arrests and suppression of freedoms and call for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners, including G. Ibadoglu.

The resolution also urges the US Secretary of State to continue to pay special attention to the welfare and release of G. Ibadoglu in his relations with the Azerbaijani government.

When was Gubad Ibadoglu arrested?

Gubad Ibadoglu, employee of the London School of Economics, chairman of ADR, was detained on July 23, 2023.

He was charged under Article 204.3.1 of the Criminal Code (when the production, acquisition or sale of counterfeit money or securities is committed by an organized group).

The next day, Narimanov District Court ordered a preventive measure of 3 months and 26 days of detention for the preliminary investigation period.

On the day Gubad Ibadoglu was detained, 40,000 dollars was found in the office, and it was claimed that part of it was fake. However, the chairman of ADR said that the money had nothing to do with him and that they placed it there themselves and then took it away.

On August 25, a new charge was announced against him under Article 167-3.1 (Preparation, storage, distribution of religious extremist materials) of the Criminal Code.

Gubad Ibadoglu said that this accusation was also absurd and refused to testify as a sign of protest.

On the day of his arrest, Gubad Ibadoglu said that he was arrested on the order of President Ilham Aliyev when he was taken out of the place after the search.

The term of detention of the politician detained on July 23, 2023 has been extended several times.