Global Witness condemns BBC Baku office closure by Azerbaijani authorities

Global Witness has expressed concern about the repressive move by the Azerbaijani authorities to close the BBC office in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.

A statement from the BBC today said they have closed their office and suspended the activities of their journalists, following verbal instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Azerbaijan.

It comes just a few months after the BBC exclusively covered a Global Witness investigation at COP29, revealing that the COP29 CEO – also the Azerbaijan Deputy Energy Minister – used his role to facilitate a meeting to discuss potential fossil fuel deals. In his subsequent opening address to COP29, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, launched a tirade against “western fake news” media and NGOs, as well as lauding the use of fossil fuels. Dominic Kavakeb, Co-Director of Campaigns at Global Witness, said, “This is a state continuing to pursue fossil fuels, attacking press freedom and violently cracking down on dissent․” Global Witness has extended full solidarity with the BBC’s journalists in Baku, as well as all imprisoned journalists in Azerbaijan.