Baku's Dark Side: Exploring Azerbaijan's Capital's Negatives

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is a city with a rich history and a rapidly developing economy. However, there are several negative aspects to the city. Baku has been criticised for its human rights record, with election fraud, worsening civil liberties, and increasing press restrictions. The city also has a history of violent conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of over a million people. Additionally, Baku was once one of the most polluted cities in the world due to its oil industry, and while efforts have been made to improve the environment, the city still faces challenges in this area.

Baku's government has been accused of authoritarianism under the ruling Aliyev family, worsening the country's human rights record, including increasing restrictions on civil liberties and press freedom

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan. The government of Azerbaijan, led by President Ilham Aliyev, has been accused of authoritarianism and worsening the country's human rights record.

There have been increasing restrictions on civil liberties and press freedom in the country. Aliyev has been accused of destroying any semblance of pluralism and waging a war against critics. The media sector is mostly under official control, with state-owned television being the most popular information source. No independent television or radio is transmitted from within the country, and all print newspapers with a critical stance have been shut down. Most independent news sites are based abroad.

The authorities have been trying to suppress the remaining independent media and journalists who reject self-censorship. Their access to information is restricted, and they face violence, harassment, and arbitrary arrests. A new media law that took effect in 2022 legalised censorship, and several other laws affecting the media violate the country's international obligations regarding freedom of expression and the press. Social media users who criticise the government also face severe penalties.

Azerbaijan's human rights record was reviewed in the UN Human Rights Council's UPR in November 2023. The government's crackdown on freedom of expression intensified, with journalists, human rights defenders, and activists being arrested in retaliation for their work. Peaceful protests were suppressed, and the work of media outlets and independent organisations remained restricted. Women and girls continued to face gender-based harassment and violence.

The city is known for its harsh winds, earning it the nickname City of Winds

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is known for its harsh winds, earning it the nickname "City of Winds". The city experiences strong winds all year round, with average wind gusts reaching 40 km/h. The cold northern wind, Khazri, and the warm southern wind, Gilavar, are typical in Baku in all seasons. The speed of Khazri sometimes reaches 144 km/h, which can cause damage to crops, trees, and roof tiles.

The city's location on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, on the Bay of Baku, contributes to its windy conditions. Baku is also the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. The winds in Baku can make walking straight difficult at times, and the city is known for its fierce winter snowstorms.

The name "Baku" is thought to be derived from the Persian "Bâd-kube," meaning "wind-pounded city," referring to a place where the wind would be strong and pounding. This etymology reflects the city's reputation for its strong winds.

The windy conditions in Baku have shaped its architecture and urban development. The city has a diverse range of architectural styles, from ancient hamams to modern glass-shelled buildings. Baku's windy climate also influences its cultural and sporting activities, with popular sports including wrestling, chess, and backgammon.

Baku's oil industry has been criticised for causing pollution

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, has been criticised for the pollution caused by its oil industry. Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region, and its oil industry has been a key part of its economy since the 19th century. However, this has come at a cost to the environment.

Azerbaijan has been described as an "environmental disaster zone", with the Apsheron Peninsula, where Baku is located and half of the country's population lives, considered the most ecologically devastated area in the world due to severe air, water and soil pollution.

The oil industry has been responsible for land degradation, water issues, and pollution. Around 30,000 hectares of soil on the Apsheron Peninsula are polluted by oil products and various forms of industrial waste. This includes oil ponds, which, along with drilling and shipping, contribute to Baku's air pollution.

The long history of oil exploration and industrial activities in Baku has left a legacy of chemical pollution, both land-based and offshore. This includes oil spills and the discharge of untreated wastewater into the Caspian Sea. The city's air quality has also been affected by emissions from vehicles, which have significantly increased in recent years.

The government of Azerbaijan has taken some measures to address the country's environmental issues, including updating its environmental legislation and partnering with international agencies. However, there is still much to be done to improve the situation, particularly in urban areas like Baku.

Azerbaijan's government has been criticised for bribing foreign officials and diplomats, a practice termed caviar diplomacy

Azerbaijan's government has long been criticised for its use of "caviar diplomacy", a lobbying strategy that involves bribing foreign officials and diplomats with lavish gifts and expensive trips to the country. This practice has been used to downplay Azerbaijan's poor human rights record and has led to investigations and convictions in several EU member states.

The term "caviar diplomacy" was first used in 2012 by the European Stability Initiative (ESI) in a report titled "Caviar Diplomacy – How Azerbaijan Silenced the Council of Europe". The report revealed that Azerbaijan had been systematically bribing members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) with expensive gifts such as silk carpets, gold and silver items, drinks, caviar, and money. Some deputies were also invited to Baku, where they received additional gifts and luxury accommodations. In exchange, these officials turned a blind eye to Azerbaijan's human rights violations, lack of free elections, and criticism from international human rights organisations.

The ESI report sparked investigations in several countries, including Germany, Italy, and Spain. In 2021, the Ordinary Court of Milan established that the Azerbaijani regime had paid a bribe of €500,000 to Luca Volontè, the leader of the European People's Party-Christian Democrats in PACE, to derail a 2013 report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Volontè was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison. Other politicians and journalists have also been implicated in the scandal, including members of the German Bundestag and the Spanish and Belgian parliaments.

Despite these investigations and convictions, Azerbaijan, the main culprit, has largely escaped unscathed. Critics argue that the Committee of Ministers, which assembles the representatives of the Council of Europe's 47 member countries, should initiate an independent investigation into Azerbaijan's role in the corruption scandal. They contend that it is necessary to re-establish the integrity and credibility of the Council of Europe, which has been shaken by its failure to ensure the implementation of European Court of Human Rights judgments and its surrender to Russian blackmail in 2019.

In addition to bribing foreign officials, the Azerbaijani government has also been accused of using "caviar diplomacy" to influence the media. After the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, the government arranged paid trips for foreign journalists, providing them with luxury accommodations and controlling their access to information. These journalists were expected to spread a positive narrative about Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with critical questions and independent reporting met with brusque answers and accusations of spreading "Armenian propaganda". This practice has raised concerns about journalistic ethics and the influence of authoritarian regimes on the media.

Baku's population is predominantly Muslim, and the country has been criticised for religious discrimination

Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, a country with a predominantly Muslim population. While the country's constitution stipulates the separation of state and religion and the equality of all religions, Azerbaijan has been criticised for religious discrimination.

The government has been accused of using mosque closures to repress independent Muslim groups that act independently of the state, and clerics who act in ways objectionable to the state face dismissal and arrest. The government controls the importation, distribution, and sale of religious materials, and courts fine individuals for the unauthorised sale or distribution of religious materials.

Azerbaijan has also been criticised for making it difficult for religious groups to register. The government's requirements for legal registration are unachievable for communities with fewer than 50 members. Unregistered religious groups, particularly those considered "nontraditional", have reported being subjected to harassment and fines for conducting religious activities.

In addition, there have been reports of discrimination against women who wear hijabs in the public sector and in passport photos.

Azerbaijan has also been criticised for its treatment of religious activists, with human rights groups stating that the government continues to physically abuse, arrest, and imprison religious activists. In 2023, the country was scored zero out of four for religious freedom by Freedom House.

Despite being a Shia-majority country, the ruling regime of Ilham Aliyev regularly and aggressively enforces secularism. Azeri officials regularly blame Iran for spreading its Khomeinist ideology among Azeri Shiites. Alcohol is domestically produced and regularly consumed, and yearly Ashura commemorations are scrutinised and often banned.

Frequently asked questions