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[The CIVIS Newsroom ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom) 2. ULB calls for support for arrested Azerbaijani researcher Bahruz Samadov ULB calls for support for arrested Azerbaijani researcher Bahruz Samadov ========================================================================== CIVIS Highlights 16 September 2024 ULB expresses its grave concern following the arrest of Bahruz Samadov, a young 29-year-old Azerbaijani researcher, which took place on 21 August 2024. Bahruz Samadov, a political science PhD candidate at Charles University in Prague, undertakes research on authoritarianism in Azerbaijan by providing a critical and rigorous view of the regime currently in power in his country. He was to pursue his research at Poznan University at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. ![](/storage/files/bahruz.jpg)Bahruz SamadovBahruz Samadov, an intellectual who is very active on the public stage, has published numerous papers in [academic circles](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366407749_Formation_of_Discourses_of_National_Identity_in_Armenia_and_Azerbaijan_From_the_Path_to_Independence_to_Nationalist_Hegemony) and in the [media](https://oc-media.org/authors/bahruz-samadov/), which have shed light on the complex nature of Azerbaijani society against a backdrop of recurrent outbreaks of war. By courageously taking a stand from the very first day against the war, which broke out once again in his country in 2020, he was exposed to a massive smear campaign. ULB had the pleasure and honour of welcoming Bahruz Samadov on two occasions in 2022 and 2023 during lectures, then as part of a joint research group that, in particular, brought together young Azerbaijani and Armenian researchers with a view to updating the historiography of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, as well as to promoting discussion and peace. The sentence ranges from twelve years to life imprisonment ---------------------------------------------------------- Now, he is being held in pre-trial detention and is accused of treason against the State for having taken part in meetings with Armenian colleagues, held under the auspices of European bodies and, if convicted, faces a sentence ranging from twelve years to life imprisonment. Bahruz Samadov was psychologically and physically mistreated when arrested. He began a hunger strike after having been beaten. His detention conditions are highly alarming. Following his arrest, some of his colleagues and other Azerbaijani peace activists, close to Samadov, were detained and questioned by Azerbaijani police. They are banned from leaving the country and constantly live in fear of being arrested. #### Bahruz’s colleagues and academics at ULB express their solidarity and call for his immediate release. They call on universities, concerned about his condition, as well as the entire international academic community to disseminate information about his situation and to express their strong solidarity with him, by [signing this open letter](https://openletter.earth/statement-of-scholars-in-support-of-bahruz-samadov-and-other-jailed-azerbaijani-academics-8683aa39?fbclid=IwY2xjawE9SE9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHeVFLpm-M3T6VgmZzbozR6xcS2eqefxXI4S2RkJxVKsa-hHFK5T3K3FWlg_aem_khdTWA0U2zzA9ITlDav5KQ&sfnsn=wa%20;%20https://www.psapopulism.org/blog/news/free-bahruz-samadov?fbclid=IwY2xjawE9SDhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQsmmT0GQJ1Lvx9HDw8yR5MFqXPIc-9soxg0hjGmdg5U5CHIE7k4baTNtQ_aem_5iZOZmwyHuf986B0y94BMQ&sfnsn=wa). ULB reasserts its wholehearted commitment to academic freedom around the world. ### Other Highlights this month: [*Excellence scholarships for international students offered by UNIL*](https://civis.eu/en/get-informed/news/excellence-scholarships-international-students-unil) [*International students on the rise at Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, counting now 130 nations*](https://civis.eu/en/get-informed/news/international-students-rise-at-paris-lodron-university-of-salzburg-counting-now-130-nations) [*Celebrating 160 years of UB and 330 years of higher education in Romania*](https://civis.eu/en/get-informed/news/celebrating-160-years-ub-and-330-years-of-higher-education-in-romania) [*NKUA, climbing the ladder in the US News' Best Global Universities Rankings*](https://civis.eu/en/get-informed/news/nkua-highest-place-ever-achieved-by-a-greek-university-in-us-news-best-global-universities-rankings) [*Key archaelogical site researched by the University of Tübingen for over a decade declared "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO*](https://civis.eu/en/get-informed/news/archaelogical-site-researched-ut-world-heritage-unesco) Related news ------------ - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/post-it-risks-800x600.jpg?token=3f32ba7f3ab0220e88eeac41defdd8bf)Innovative micro-credential for professionals on AI for the workplace launched by CIVIS Learn 10 February 2026 ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/innovative-micro-credential-professionals-ai-workplace-civis) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/lisa-ardoin-carre-800x600.jpg?token=f714a0ebb1268db56d15373f824f5d1d)Living and working in the White Desert - vlogs from Antarctica by a ULB student CIVIS Highlights 16 September 2025 ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/antarctica-vlogs-living-and-working-in-the-white-desert) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/eurosud-iee-consilium-copy-800x600.jpeg?token=d7e48b887b15ee3e7750a627f84b5b8e)EUROSUD: A passport to civic-minded expertise on Southern Europe Study programmes 8 July 2025 ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/eurosud-a-passport-to-civic-minded-expertise-on-southern-europe) [Discover all our stories](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom) [ PolyCIVIS kicks off public events with cross-continental panel during CIVIS Days ](< https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/polycivis-launches-its-public-events-with-a-webcast-cross-continental-panel-discussion-during-civis-days >) [ Excellence scholarships for international students offered by UNIL ](< https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/excellence-scholarships-international-students-unil >) ![CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance](https://civis.eu/build/assets/civis-CCpvK1nT.svg) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe’s Civic University Alliance ![Co-funded by the European Union](https://civis.eu/build/assets/co-funded-by-the-european-union-DSKLW1us.png)Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). 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