February 6, 2025
Mr. Rouzer (for himself, Mr. Pallone, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Costa, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Malliotakis, Ms. Meng, Mr. McCormick, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Bilirakis, Mrs. Foushee, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Ms. Norton, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Titus, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Schneider, and Mr. McGovern) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Condemning the treatment of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu by the Government of Azerbaijan and urging his immediate release, and for other purposes.
Whereas Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, a respected academic and economist, and his wife were arrested by Azerbaijani authorities on July 23, 2023, and severely beaten while in police custody;
Whereas Dr. Ibadoghlu was dubiously accused by Azerbaijani authorities of multiple criminal acts without evidence;
Whereas Dr. Ibadoghlu was imprisoned in extremely poor conditions at the Baku Detention Center until April 2024 before being released to house arrest, and is subject to a travel ban preventing him from leaving Baku;
Whereas Dr. Ibadoghlu’s health continues to deteriorate significantly since his initial arrest, and he has not received adequate medical treatment for his conditions;
Whereas Dr. Ibadoghlu has been repeatedly denied access to his legal counsel and a fair trial while in custody;
Whereas Azerbaijani authorities have restricted Dr. Ibadoghlu’s movement and communications, isolating him from family and academic networks;
Whereas Dr. Ibadoghlu’s family continues to face harassment and threats from Azerbaijani authorities;
Whereas the Department of State and the United States Embassy in Baku, alongside United States academic institutions and organizations in the international community, have expressed deep concerns regarding Dr. Ibadoghlu’s health and have demanded his immediate release; and
Whereas the wrongful detention of Dr. Ibadoghlu is a serious affront to human rights and academic freedom: Now, therefore, be it
Sec.
That the House of Representatives—
(1)
condemns the treatment of Dr. Ibadoghlu by the Government of Azerbaijan, their practice of wrongful detention, and their suppression of academic freedom;
(2)
calls for Dr. Ibadoghlu’s immediate and unconditional release; and
(3)
urges the Secretary of State to continue prioritizing Dr. Ibadoghlu’s well-being and release in all engagements with the Government of Azerbaijan.