Azerbaijan may free activists as sop to critics

Significance

The regime is being stung by a recent upsurge of critical reports on its poor human rights record, in particular from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the US State Department and the NGO Freedom House. Human rights and economic problems threaten to overshadow Baku's proclamation of successes such as hosting the recent inaugural European Games and the population's economic well-being.

Impacts

• The government may continue to squeeze money out of oligarchs, as it did in May, to boost banks' cash reserves.
• Azerbaijan will receive support from Russia over allegations of human rights violations; both claim to be victims of Western bias.
• Political prisoners and their supporters will gain hope from continuing critical reports from the EU, US and international organisations.