Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu was assaulted and arrested on July 23rd in Baku, Azerbaijan on trumped-up charges. While in custody,  Dr. Ibadoghlu is denied critical health care and access to prescribed blood pressure and diabetes medications. His health has deteriorated precipitously during his detention, and at the time of writing, Dr. Ibadoghlu’s family has expressed grave concerns about his future health because of the cruel denial of necessary medical treatment.  

Civil society, academics, and governments across the globe have spoken out, decrying the actions of the Azerbaijani government, including the US Department of State, the OSCE, and the European Union. On September 14, 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Gubad Ibadoghlu’s arbitrary detention and calling for his immediate release and an independent investigation into his mistreatment.

The United Kingdom is the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan, and BP is the largest corporate foreign investor in the country. It has been operating in Azerbaijan for thirty years, and according to Reuters, the “consortium of foreign companies that produces oil and gas in Azerbaijan under BP’s operatorship exported 16.7 million tons of oil, accounting for 88% of the country’s total exports.”

Yet, BP has failed to speak publicly about Dr. Ibadoghlu’s detention, despite its close relationship with the Aliyev regime and its outsized influence over the Azerbaijani economy.

On March 13, 2025, 22 UK members of parliament signed a letter to Helge Lund, the BP board chair, urging him to address Dr. Ibadoghlu’s case.

Citing BP’s significant influence and large investments in the country, the parliamentarians urge Lund to use his unique position of power to raise Dr. Ibadoghlu’s case with the government of Azerbaijan..