Ocean County Leader

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Global Human Rights Subcommittee, and Co-Chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, has urged the government of Azerbaijan to provide Dr. Gubad Ibadoglu with immediate access to medical care. Dr. Ibadoglu, an economist who has been unjustly imprisoned, was recently transferred from prison to house arrest.

Smith emphasized the critical need for medical intervention, stating, “This heroic political prisoner suffers from a number of medical conditions, which have been greatly aggravated by the lack of adequate medical care and the cruel conditions of his imprisonment." He further added, "The government of Azerbaijan must facilitate the best medical care possible for Dr. Ibadoglu." Smith also highlighted the broader responsibility of the Azerbaijani government, asserting, “The Azerbaijani government bears full responsibility for the current state of Dr. Ibadoglu’s health—and that of its other political prisoners, POWs, and ethnic Armenians illegally detained.”

A staunch advocate for human rights, Smith has been actively campaigning for Dr. Ibadoglu’s release since his arrest last year. He has also championed the cases of other political prisoners in Azerbaijan, including Khadija Ismayilova. In 2015, Smith authored the Azerbaijan Democracy Act, aimed at promoting democracy and human rights in Azerbaijan, a country known for having one of the most repressive governments in the world.

The U.S. government’s report on human rights practices in Azerbaijan has highlighted numerous grave abuses, including unlawful or arbitrary killings, torture, harsh prison conditions, arbitrary detention, political prisoners, and politically motivated reprisals against individuals outside the country. Smith's call for urgent medical attention for Dr. Ibadoglu underscores the ongoing concerns regarding human rights violations in Azerbaijan.