Azerbaijan
Freedom at a Glance
Global Freedom
7 / 100
Not Free
Internet Freedom
34 / 100
Not Free
Nations in Transit
1 / 100
Power in Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime remains heavily concentrated in the hands of Ilham Aliyev, who has served as president since 2003, and his extended family. Corruption is rampant, and the formal political opposition has been weakened by years of persecution. The authorities have carried out an extensive crackdown on civil liberties in recent years, leaving little room for independent expression or activism.
Research & Recommendations
Azerbaijan
Not Free
7
100
| PR Political Rights | 0 40 |
| CL Civil Liberties | 7 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
9
100
Not Free
Global freedom statuses are calculated on a weighted scale.
See the methodology.
Overview
Power in Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime remains heavily concentrated in the hands of Ilham Aliyev, who has served as president since 2003, and his extended family. Corruption is rampant, and the formal political opposition has been weakened by years of persecution. The authorities have carried out an extensive crackdown on civil liberties in recent years, leaving little room for independent expression or activism. In 2023, Azerbaijani forces seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh—an ethnic Armenian enclave that had enjoyed de facto independence since 1994—following a months-long blockade and a two-day military operation; the surrender of local political leaders and defense forces prompted nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of the territory to flee to the Republic of Armenia.
Freedom in the World 2024 Policy Recommendations
Provide steady support and flexible funding to those on the front lines of the struggle against tyranny.
Democratic governments and donors must increase and sustain support for those working to defend and promote fundamental freedoms around the world. Failure to do so emboldens autocrats and can result in the loss of hard-won progress.
Uphold the rights of people living in disputed territories.
The events of the past year in places such as Nagorno-Karabakh and the Gaza Strip provided stark evidence that populations without self-determination are at greater risk of extreme human rights abuses or atrocities.
Protect free and fair elections in 2024.
At least 40 countries are holding national-level elections in 2024, and many more will conduct other types of balloting. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of any democracy, and independent and transparent electoral processes are necessary to foster genuine competition and public trust.
Azerbaijan
Not Free
34
100
| A Obstacles to Access | 11 25 |
| B Limits on Content | 13 35 |
| C Violations of User Rights | 10 40 |
Last Year's Score & Status
37
100
Not Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free).
See the research methodology and report acknowledgements.
Political Overview
Power in Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime remains heavily concentrated in the hands of Ilham Aliyev, who has served as president since 2003, and his extended family. Corruption is rampant, and the formal political opposition has been weakened by years of persecution. The authorities have carried out an extensive crackdown on civil liberties in recent years, leaving little room for independent expression or activism. In 2023, Azerbaijani forces seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh—an ethnic Armenian enclave that had enjoyed de facto independence since 1994—following a months-long blockade and a military operation; the surrender of local political leaders and defense forces prompted nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of the territory to flee to the Republic of Armenia.
Freedom on the Net 2024 Policy Recommendations
Promote freedom of expression and access to information
Freedom of expression online is increasingly under attack as governments shut off internet connectivity, block social media platforms, or restrict access to websites that host political, social, and religious speech. Protecting freedom of expression will require strong legal and regulatory safeguards for digital communications and access to information.
Defend information integrity
The potential consequences of false, misleading, and incendiary content are especially grave during election periods, underscoring the need to protect information integrity. Efforts to address the problem should start well before campaigning begins and continue long after the last vote is cast.
Combat disproportionate government surveillance
Governments worldwide have passed disproportionate surveillance laws and can access a booming commercial market for surveillance tools, giving them the capacity to monitor the private communications of individuals inside and beyond their borders in violation of international human rights standards.
Azerbaijan
1
100
| DEMOCRACY-PERCENTAGE Democracy Percentage | 1.19 100 |
| DEMOCRACY-SCORE Democracy Score | 1.07 7 |
Last Year's Democracy Percentage & Status
1
100
The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 1 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The Democracy Percentage, introduced in 2020, is a translation of the Democracy Score to the 0-100 scale, where 0 equals least democratic and 100 equals most democratic.
See the methodology.
Executive Summary
Authoritarianism persisted in Azerbaijan in 2023. The presidential administration wielded significant power and showed little interest in genuine democratic change. Both the national legislature and local municipalities operated under the influence of the executive branch and therefore were unable challenge presidential administration. The dominance of the executive branch over both the legislative and judicial branches eroded effective checks and balances. Authorities also tightly controlled the media’s access to governmental information. The Milli Majlis, Azerbaijan’s unicameral parliament, often supported President Aliyev’s decisions and failed to hold the executive branch accountable. An anticorruption initiative launched in 2019 lost momentum in 2023. After a number of prominent officials were charged with corruption in 2022, only low-ranking officials faced corruption charges in 2023.
Nations in Transit 2024 Policy Recommendations
Ensure that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is soundly defeated.
The future of European democracy and security is now inextricably linked to the fate of Ukraine. European Union (EU) and NATO member states must not only invest far more—and more efficiently—in their collective defense, but also provide Ukraine with the assistance it needs to roll back Russian advances and build a durable democracy of its own.
Support democratic renewal and reform.
In addition to defending the international order from emboldened autocrats, democratic governments must attend to democratic renewal within Europe, particularly among nascent democracies.
Provide consistent messaging and support to Europe’s aspiring democracies.
Military aggression from autocracies in the region has underscored the dangers of exclusion from democracy-based organizations like the EU and NATO, galvanizing the political will of policymakers in aspiring member states and generating further public pressure to undertake long-sought democratic reforms.
News and Updates
Freedom House Perspectives
News Releases & Media Coverage
Country Facts
Basic Facts
Global Freedom Score
7
/ 100
Not Free
Internet Freedom Score
34
/ 100
Not Free
Nations in Transit Score
1
/ 100
Population: 10,140,000
Internet Facts
Status
Not Free
Networks Restricted
Yes
Social Media Blocked
Yes
Websites Blocked
Yes
Pro-government Commentators
Yes
Users Arrested
Yes
Election Facts
Status
Not Tracked
Transnational Repression
Status
Not Tracked
