Ocean County Leader

In response to the reported murder of Azerbaijani dissident Vidadi Isgandarli in France, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) has called on the Biden-Harris Administration to enhance protection for Azerbaijanis residing in the United States. Isgandarli, a vocal critic of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, was found brutally beaten and stabbed to death at his home.

Smith emphasized the urgency of addressing "escalating transnational repression" ahead of the COP29 Climate Change Conference scheduled next month in Baku. He stated, “This shocking crime perpetrated against a leading critic of Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev is extremely concerning and has placed Azerbaijanis in the United States on high alert—especially those who are bravely exposing Aliyev’s cruel regime and its egregious human rights violations and large-scale corruption.”

As a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Smith urged immediate action from U.S. officials. “The Biden-Harris Administration needs to directly address Aliyev’s horrific and heightening transnational repression before it’s too late,” he said.

Smith also warned that ignoring this incident could embolden perpetrators: “If top Biden-Harris officials pretend this murder was not intended to intimidate other outspoken Azerbaijanis, they will be responsible for emboldening the perpetrators and increasing the threat to other Azerbaijanis.”

Reports have highlighted attacks on Azerbaijani dissidents globally, including in countries like France, Germany, Georgia, and even within the U.S. In 2020, concerns were raised by the Institute for Peace and Democracy about plans from Baku targeting critics abroad.

Despite these concerns, Azerbaijan is set to host COP29 in November. Smith criticized this decision: “It is outrageous that the Biden-Harris Administration is giving credence to Azerbaijan’s propaganda that it is a ‘peacemaker’... while Azerbaijani dissidents... are being persecuted and even killed.”

He further advised retracting statements made by John Podesta regarding U.S.-Azerbaijan relations: “In addition to securing the safety of Azerbaijanis here at home, the Biden-Harris Administration should immediately retract its destructive statements about valuing the dictator’s ‘leadership’...”