Globally-recognised human rights organisations and the international media collectively deemed 2014 a year of unprecedented civil society crackdown in Azerbaijan. Political leaders, youth activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and bloggers were jailed on trumped-up charges; media outlets were shut down; and international organisations and donors were forced out of the country. Moreover, stringent laws, criminal investigations, and frozen bank accounts made it impossible for local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to continue their activities. For now, the government enjoys a modest victory, albeit a pyrrhic one.
So far, the Azerbaijani government has managed to silence its Western critics by cooperating with the U.S. and Europe on energy and security issues. However, the government’s recent clampdown has made it difficult to turn a blind eye; and it seems Azerbaijan and the West have reached a critical juncture in their relations.
But what caused the Azerbaijani government’s precipitous crackdown, accompanied by anti-Western and anti-American rhetoric? Why does Azerbaijan continue to jeopardise its relationship with the West by becoming increasingly authoritarian? To answer these questions, I examined Azerbaijan’s recent events within a broader historical and geopolitical context.
