News Release
August 30, 2024
Azerbaijan: Escalating Crackdown on Critics
Azerbaijani authorities have arrested a researcher and political analyst, Bahruz Samadov, on spurious treason charges, in the government’s escalating crackdown against its critics.
What is Human Rights Watch?
Latest News
How We Work
Investigate: We investigate human rights abuses globally.
Expose: We publish our findings, share the stories of those affected by abuses, and speak out against injustice.
Change: We mobilize the public and press governments to enforce rights-respecting laws, change policy, and deliver justice.
89
nationalities represented
102
countries worked on
14+ million
global audience members
Zero
government funding
![A researcher takes notes while sitting with an interviewee](/sites/default/files/styles/square_large/public/media_2024/08/202407afr_chad_hrw%20researcher.jpg?h=ce28c445&itok=pKsnWVwq)
Spotlight
August 30, 2024 | Dispatches
August 30, 2024 | News Release
Dominican Republic: Court Reviews Laws Against Gay Sex
August 29, 2024 | News Release
Australia: Bolster Global Advocacy Against Death Penalty
August 29, 2024 | News Release
Hong Kong: Two Journalists Convicted on Baseless ‘Sedition’ Charge
August 29, 2024 | News Release
Ecuador Sets Plan to End Sexual Violence in Schools
Reports
Our deepest research, for people who want all the facts.
Videos
![](https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_large/public/media_2024/08/2024_YouTube_News_Thumbnail.jpg?h=86af949a)
![](https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_large/public/media_2024/07/202211AME_El%20Salvador_State%20of%20Emergency%20Children_YouTube_Thumbnail_0.jpg?h=c673cd1c)
![](https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_large/public/media_2024/06/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%286%29.jpg?h=c673cd1c)
![](https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_large/public/media_2024/05/202404ECA_Belarus_Lawyers_Thumbnail.jpg?h=c673cd1c)
![](https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_large/public/media_2024/03/202403ECA_Turkey_Earthquake_Screenshot1.jpg?h=854a7be2)
More videos
Quick Takes
Featured Investigation
“You Have to Move!”
The Cruel and Ineffective Criminalization of Unhoused People in Los Angeles
Stay informed
Nearly 5 Decades of Impact
Together with our partners, we’ve:
- Helped put powerful war criminals behind bars
- Protected children laboring in tobacco fields
- Won a Nobel Peace Prize for our work banning landmines