Podcast | ‘Greenwashing’ in Azerbaijan and COP29

June 10, 2024 8:03 PM

Azerbaijan, a country whose economy depends heavily on fossil fuels, is set to host the United Nations’ annual climate change conference, COP29, in November this year, amidst rampant human rights abuses and terrible environmental practices.

This week, we speak to journalist Arzu Geybulla about human rights abuses in Azerbaijan and her expectations for COP29, while environmental activist Javid Gara talks environmental activism in the country and Baku’s plans to phase down its reliance on fossil fuels.

Controversy as COP29 to be held in Azerbaijan

Support independent journalism in the Caucasus and become an OC Media Member: Join today.

…or donate to the collective Georgian media security fund.

Screenshots of Azerbaijani state news agency Azertac’s coverage of Georgian politics and elections.

2024 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Azerbaijani state media cover Georgian Dream’s pre-election campaign

Aytan Farhadova

••2 min read

Over the last month, Azerbaijan’s official government news agency Azertac has published multiple articles focusing on ethnic Azerbaijani candidates running for the ruling Georgian Dream party, while failing to provide a platform for Azerbaijani opposition candidates. On 16 October, Azertac interviewed Georgian Dream MP Zaur Darghalli, who said that his party had guaranteed stability in Georgia, and elaborated on how it was able to keep the peace for the last 12 years. ‘These elections are

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan sentences Talysh activist to 16 years in prison for treason

Aytan Farhadova

••2 min read

Ethnic Talysh activist Mirhafiz Jafarzade, who advocated for the creation of Talysh school textbooks in Azerbaijan, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison on charges of treason. Jafarzade, who is also a Russian citizen, was found guilty of treason in the form of espionage on Thursday. Jafarzade was detained by the authorities in November 2022. That day, pro-government media reported that the trial had determined that Jafarzade worked ‘in secret cooperation with foreign special services

Armenia

Russia praises Azerbaijan’s ‘constructive’ approach to return of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees

Arshaluys Barseghyan

••3 min read

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said Azerbaijan is taking ‘constructive’ actions to facilitate the right to return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, as evidence mounts of the demolition of residential and cultural heritage buildings in Nagorno-Karabakh. ‘We have repeatedly commented on and emphasised the constructive steps taken by Baku to provide the population that left their native places with the opportunity to return there’, Zakharova said during a press briefing o

Armenia

Peace talks flounder as Armenia pushes for deal with Azerbaijan before COP29

Arshaluys Barseghyan

••3 min read

Peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be at a standstill as Armenia continues to push for an agreement to be signed ahead of November’s COP29 summit in Baku. On Tuesday, Sargis Khandanyan, an MP from Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party, told Armenpress that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan offered to organise a meeting to conclude and sign a peace agreement ahead of the summit, which is scheduled to be held in Baku between 11–22 November. He said that Pashinyan made the offer