Day: October 26, 2025

#SouthCaucasus  #SSS  #Azerbaijan
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Azerbaijan: the “Tartar case”
Tartar case” refers to the severe torture and inhumane treatment of hundreds of Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians in 2017. Military authorities detained individuals on suspicion of spying for Armenia and extracted confessions through force, leading to multiple deaths in custody.The “
Overview of the case
The allegations: In May and June 2017, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Defense, and the State Security Service launched a criminal case alleging treason and espionage within the armed forces.
Widespread torture: During this operation, centered in the Tartar region, officials detained hundreds of service members and civilians. Human rights groups estimate over 1,000 people were systematically tortured to coerce confessions or provide information.
Deaths in custody: At least eight suspects died as a direct result of the torture. One of these deaths, which authorities initially attributed to lung disease, was later confirmed by a forensic study in 2022 to be a result of torture.
Posthumous acquittals: Following later investigations, at least four of the deceased were posthumously acquitted of all charges.
Key developments and updates
Official recognition and arrests (2022): The government officially acknowledged that 452 individuals had been physically abused. Following this, authorities launched new prosecutions against military officials involved. 19 victims who had been previously convicted of espionage were released.
Sentencing of military personnel (2024): Throughout 2024, additional military personnel were sentenced in connection with the torture. As of October 2024, 18 military personnel have been convicted on charges including torture, inhumane treatment, and abuse of office.
Lack of cooperation with human rights bodies (2024): In July 2024, the Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee (CPT) published a public statement condemning Azerbaijan for its “persistent failure to engage” with the committee and for its refusal to cooperate. The CPT subsequently released its 2022 report on Azerbaijan, which documented allegations of severe physical ill-treatment and torture.
Civil society criticism: Despite the government’s prosecutions, local human rights activists argue that justice is still incomplete for victims and their families. Concerns persist over the impunity of many officials and the systemic nature of torture within the country’s detention facilities.

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 26, 2025

#SouthCaucasus
The  #SSS of  #Azerbaijan are  #liars and fabricators: examples, facts, cases, stories – Google Search  google.com/search?q=The+SSS+…
Multiple reports from human rights organizations, governments, and independent media allege that the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan uses fabricated charges, torture, and intimidation to suppress dissent and punish critics. Several cases involving journalists, activists, and other government critics have been documented, highlighting a broader pattern of repression. [1, 2, 3, 4] 
Fabricated charges and politicized prosecutions Independent journalists and activists in Azerbaijan are routinely arrested and convicted on what are widely considered fabricated and politically motivated charges. [4] 
Abzas Media journalists: In late 2023, the director, editor-in-chief, and other journalists from the independent outlet Abzas Media were arrested on charges of “currency smuggling” after publishing investigations into alleged high-level government corruption.

• The charges: The currency smuggling charges are considered bogus by press freedom groups like Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which describes them as a tactic to silence critical reporting.
• Outcomes: In June 2025, several Abzas Media journalists were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, with RSF condemning the sentences as outrageous and the result of a political trial. [1, 6, 7] 

Meydan TV and Toplum TV: Other independent media outlets, including Meydan TV and Toplum TV, have faced similar repression in 2024 and 2025. In December 2024, Meydan TV’s entire newsroom staff was detained. Their arrests follow a pattern of authorities arresting journalists on questionable charges. [1, 8] 
Arrest of Gubad Ibadoghlu: In 2023, prominent economist and government critic Gubad Ibadoghlu was arrested on what Human Rights Watch described as bogus criminal charges. His family reported that they were also subjected to a travel ban due to his political activity. [2, 3] 
Allegations of torture and ill-treatment Human rights reports from organizations like the U.S. State Department document credible allegations of torture and abuse in Azerbaijani custody. [2, 9] 
Military personnel in the “Tartar case”:

• Case details: In 2017, numerous military personnel and civilians were arrested and subjected to torture on fabricated charges of spying for Armenia. Following torture, some victims confessed to the baseless allegations.
• Delayed admission of torture: In September 2022, the Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that one of the suspects had died as a result of torture by police. In March 2023, a civil court acquitted three of the victims after five years of imprisonment and granted them compensation.
• Torture during interrogation: A recent account from a blogger recounts how the SSS reportedly fabricated his testimony and threatened him during an interrogation following his arrest. [2, 10, 11, 12] 

Harassment and surveillance The Azerbaijani government and its security services are accused of harassing and surveilling activists, journalists, and critics both inside and outside the country. [13] 
Transnational repression and online suppression: Dissidents and journalists in exile have reported intimidation of family members in Azerbaijan and digital harassment. The Azerbaijani government was allegedly linked to the use of Pegasus spyware against Armenian officials and journalists. Private data of a jailed activist was leaked online in what human rights defenders called an act of political revenge. Citizens have reportedly been forced to delete critical social media posts, and the government is accused of using paid “trolls” to threaten exiled activists. [2, 13, 14] 
Impunity and lack of accountability The U.S. State Department notes a significant problem with impunity in Azerbaijan, as officials responsible for human rights abuses are rarely prosecuted. Weak oversight due to corruption means officials are seldom held accountable. The government has also been accused of hindering proceedings at the European Court of Human Rights by misplacing correspondence. [2, 15, 16] 

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1]  rsf.org/en/news-professional…
[2]  state.gov/reports/2023-count…
[3]  hrw.org/world-report/2024/co…
[4]  hrw.org/report/2024/10/08/we…
[5]  jam-news.net/corruption-repo…
[6]  rsf.org/en/azerbaijan-nine-y…
[7]  rsf.org/en/azerbaijan-unjust…
[8]  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_…
[9]  state.gov/reports/2022-count…
[10]  cavid.info/12-hours-inside/
[11]  state.gov/reports/2023-count…
[12]  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_N…
[13]  state.gov/wp-content/uploads…
[14]  state.gov/reports/2020-count…
[15]  state.gov/reports/2018-count…
[16]  state.gov/reports/2024-count…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 26, 2025