Scientists and human rights activists have called for the release of Bakhruz Samedov

The international academic network Scholars at Risk has appealed to the Azerbaijani government to release researcher Bahruz Samedov. The petition was also supported by the human rights organization Amnesty International and the Norwegian Foundation for International Aid to Students and Scholars.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," in mid-November, the administration of Correctional Facility No. 11 filed a lawsuit demanding that Bakhruz Samedov's sentence be increased and that he be transferred  to the closed section of the Umbaki penitentiary complex. On December 1, the court upheld the appeal, ordering his transfer to the maximum-security section of the closed Umbaki prison for one year . 

The international academic network Scholars at Risk launched a petition in support of Samedov. The appeal to the President of Azerbaijan, sent on December 16, was also supported by the human rights organization Amnesty International and the Norwegian Foundation for International Aid to Students and Scholars (SAIH).

The signatories ask Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to facilitate the researcher's release. They believe Samedov was arrested in Azerbaijan "as obvious retaliation" for his research on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

The authors express concern about the pressure Samedov is under while in prison. Specifically, they point to his recent placement "in solitary confinement in Correctional Facility No. 11." According to the petition's authors, "in an attempt to further worsen Samedov's mental state," "the authorities ordered his transfer to the maximum security section of Umbaki Prison."

It is also noted that this prison is located far from the residence of Samedov's only relative—his elderly grandmother. "Considering Samedov's precarious mental health, we are seriously concerned for his safety," the authors of the appeal note.

They believe that Samedov was “arrested and charged as a result of his peaceful exercise of the rights to academic freedom and freedom of expression – actions expressly protected by international human rights law and enshrined in a number of international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Azerbaijan is a party.” 

"Any accusations of what we can only assume—absent clear public evidence from the state—are non-violent expression are unfounded. Detentions and prosecutions related to academic activity raise serious concerns about the protection of freedom of expression, academic freedom, and the higher education space in Azerbaijan," the petition's authors note.
 
Furthermore, in the context of peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, they argue that the conviction of Samedov, who held anti-war views, "appears incompatible with Azerbaijan's efforts to achieve peace." 

"In this regard, we respectfully urge you to ensure Mr. Samedov's immediate and unconditional release, unless there is credible evidence of a crime. In such cases, the case must be considered in accordance with international standards of due process, fair trial, and detention, consistent with Azerbaijan's obligations under international law, which include access to his family and public disclosure of the circumstances of his detention, the charges against him, and evidence of any alleged crime," the authors of the appeal emphasize.
 
Samedov's lawyer, Zibeyda Sadygova, told a Caucasian Knot correspondent that the defense has filed an appeal against the decision to tighten his detention regime, but the appeal has not yet been reviewed.