This week saw Azerbaijan submit a diplomatic note to Tehran following a drone attack on the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, summoning Iranian officials and demanding an explanation. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers called for an investigation into Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s security guards after protests in Washington, exiled journalist Emin Huseynov in Switzerland reported being followed and threatened, prompting the Committee to Protect Journalists to call for protective measures, and opposition politician Tofig Yagublu’s health is rapidly declining during a hunger strike in detention, raising renewed concerns about political persecution.
Azerbaijan submits diplomatic note to Iran after drone attack on Nakhchivan
Azerbaijan has formally submitted a diplomatic note to Tehran following a drone attack on the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic originating from Iranian territory. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov confirmed this during a joint press conference in Baku with Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihail Popșoi. The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan was summoned, and the Azerbaijani government emphasized that it expects an explanation from Tehran. The Foreign Minister stated that Iran has promised to investigate the incident, with results anticipated soon.
The Azerbaijani government has also reinforced security measures and instructed the highest levels of military preparedness under the supervision of President Ilham Aliyev. Evacuation preparations have been ordered for Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions in Tehran and Tabriz, and plans are underway to assist Azerbaijani citizens in other Middle Eastern countries due to regional instability. Approximately 1,000 citizens, mainly in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, have requested assistance from Azerbaijani diplomatic missions.
The drone attack resulted in four injuries and has prompted the opening of a criminal case by the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office. Azerbaijan has stated that the attack will not go unanswered. Meanwhile, Iranian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi and the Armed Forces General Staff, denied involvement, attributing the incident to Israel’s actions in the region. President Ilham Aliyev described the attack as a “terrorist act” during a Security Council meeting and directed the Armed Forces to take retaliatory measures.
U.S. Lawmakers call for investigation into Azerbaijani President’s security guards’ attack on Washington protesters
A group of U.S. Congress members has called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to investigate an incident involving Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s security guards during his visit to Washington. The appeal, shared publicly by Congressman Jim McGovern on March 5, concerns an event on February 19 outside the Waldorf Astoria hotel, where guards reportedly used excessive force against protesters gathered near the hotel. Congress members described the actions as a transnational act of repression, highlighting that videos show protesters being beaten, kicked, and chased.
Among the protesters was Rahim Yagublu, the son of opposition politician Tofig Yagublu, who had previously been sentenced to nine years in prison under controversial charges. The lawmakers condemned the attacks as a direct violation of the right to peaceful assembly and free speech in the United States, principles protected under both the U.S. Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They emphasized that such incidents undermine fundamental democratic values and expressed serious concern over the behavior of foreign security personnel on U.S. soil.
The letter urged the U.S. administration to respond through official and diplomatic channels, investigate those responsible, and ensure accountability. The appeal was signed by Senator Tim Kaine and Representatives Jim McGovern, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jamie Raskin, Dina Titus, Donald Beyer, and James Clyburn. Azerbaijani state-aligned media claimed the protesters attempted to provoke and forcibly enter the hotel, which the protesters denied. Although the U.S. Secret Service and local police were present, they did not directly intervene, and the State Department has reportedly been reviewing the incident.
Exiled Azerbaijani journalist Emin Huseynov threatened in Switzerland, CPJ calls for protection
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Swiss authorities to ensure the safety of Azerbaijani journalist and human rights activist Emin Huseynov, who is living in exile. CPJ raised concerns over reports that Huseynov was being followed and monitored by armed individuals, stressing that Switzerland must conduct a thorough investigation and take all necessary measures to protect him, given Azerbaijan’s history of targeting exiled journalists.
Huseynov reported seeing two men following him on February 18 in Geneva during a human rights conference, one of whom appeared to be armed. He later encountered one of the men near his home, recorded him on video, and the footage was subsequently uploaded to YouTube. Huseynov has since informed Swiss police about three additional instances of being followed, which are currently under investigation. These events coincide with videos by his brother, journalist and blogger Mehman Huseynov, criticizing Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his family, which triggered death threats and media smear campaigns against the brothers.
Huseynov, who has lived in Switzerland since 2015 following previous arrest attempts by Azerbaijani authorities, described the incidents as possible kidnapping or assassination attempts. He connected the harassment to his recent questioning of Azerbaijani leadership at international security forums and cited previous attacks on journalists like Afghan Mukhtarli. CPJ also noted that Azerbaijan is one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, with at least 24 currently imprisoned, and that authorities have ignored CPJ’s inquiries regarding these threats.
Azerbaijan Opposition’s Tofig Yagublu faces rapid health decline from hunger strike
Tofig Yagublu, a member of the Musavat Party and National Council, is facing increasing pressure while in detention, according to his daughter, Nigar Hazi. During a recent meeting behind glass, Yagublu reported that prison staff entered his cell, acted disrespectfully and confiscated personal items under the pretext of “illegal possessions.” His daughter described the visit as stressful and highlighted verbal threats from the staff, including orders to handcuff him and take him to the warden. These actions are seen by his family as ongoing psychological pressure.
Yagublu has been on a hunger strike for nine days. Nigar Hazi stated that his health is rapidly deteriorating, with significant weight loss and sunken eyes, and attempts to persuade him to stop the strike have failed. Yagublu himself explained that he sees no end to his imprisonment and fears that the authorities will continue to target him, potentially leading to his death. He expressed that, given these circumstances, he prefers to choose the timing of his own death rather than remain at the mercy of the regime.
Yagublu was placed in solitary confinement on February 25, following alleged obstruction of a cell search, a punishment his family believes is politically motivated in retaliation for protests by his brother, Rahim Yagublu, in the United States. Tofig Yagublu was originally arrested in December 2023 and sentenced in March 2025 to nine years in prison on charges of large-scale fraud and document forgery, which he denies. This is not his first protest: he has previously endured beatings, torture, and several hunger strikes, reflecting a long history of political persecution and resistance.
