Released but not free: charges against Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu must be dropped

Resource Justice Network welcomes the news that Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, the prominent Azerbaijani economist and anti-corruption expert, has been allowed to leave Azerbaijan. Dr Ibadoghlu landed in Germany on 29 September 2026 following an agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan and Germany. He will now receive the medical care he has been denied for more than three years. Dr Ibadoghlu is a long-standing member of the network. His release follows a sustained campaign by his family, civil society organisations, academics and political figures, notably targeting the US and UK governments and the European Union, as well as international companies with business interests in Azerbaijan (including BP, Equinor and ExxonMobil) and international financial institutions (such as the World Bank, EBRD and the IMF). “There are many political prisoners in the country, and a lot of people have lost hope. But my dad’s case shows that another Azerbaijan is possible. This gives us hope for a better, democratic future,” said Zhala Bayramova, Dr Ibadoghlu’s child. Despite his departure from Azerbaijan, Dr Ibadoghlu is not yet free. The criminal case against him remains open and the charges still stand. The Azerbaijani authorities require that he comes back to Azerbaijan once his treatment is done. They could issue an arrest warrant or seek an Interpol notice against him at any time. “We are very happy as a family that our father now has the chance to get the medical treatment he urgently needs. We hope that the fabricated charges will be dropped as soon as possible and that he can continue receiving medical help without any interruption from the Azerbaijani government,” said Ibad Bayramov, Dr Ibadoghlu’s son. Additionally, on September 10, 2026, Dr Ibadoghlu’s brother Galib Bayramov, chair of the Economic Research Center and member of the Resource Justice Network, was given a suspended sentence of eight years in prison. This is adding pressure on Gubad and his family. This conviction is part of the so-called ‘NGO case’, a vast movement of arrests of NGO workers and civil society representatives that began in March 2024. “We share the relief and joy of Gubad’s family and everyone who has campaigned for this moment. But Gubad is not yet fully free and remains at risk of prosecution. Many other civil society activists denouncing government abuses are being arrested and convicted. Fighting corruption is not a crime. Azerbaijan must drop all charges against them,” said Dr Ketakandriana Rafitoson, Executive Director of Resource Justice Network. Resource Justice Network calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to drop all charges against Dr Ibadoghlu, close the criminal case, lift any restrictions on his family, and release all those detained for their civic, journalistic and anti-corruption work. The network also calls on the German government and the European Union to guarantee Dr Ibadoghlu’s safety and his freedom to live, work and speak without fear, and to refuse any extradition request connected to this case. Background Dr Ibadoghlu and his wife were violently arrested on 23 July 2023. He was detained on fabricated charges linked to counterfeit money and, later, to an alleged extremist religious group. He spent nine months in pre-trial detention, during which he was denied treatment for diabetes, hypertension and an aortic aneurysm. In April 2024 he was moved to house arrest, where he remained unable to travel, work or obtain the care he needed. Resource Justice Network believes he was targeted because of his years of work exposing corruption in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector and calling for transparency in the management of public revenues. A former member of the EITI International Board and one of the founders of the Network in the Eurasia region, he has been a tireless advocate for accountable natural resource governance.