[37] In his recent lengthy article published[38] in the Resources Policy, Ibadoghlu argued that, based on the empirical findings,[27] "the oil-hinders-democracy hypothesis is valid for the oil-rich nations of the post-Soviet space."

[41][42] In his many engagements and roles over the years Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu has worked towards bringing light to the low transparency and accountability that exists within the higher echelons of the Azerbaijani government.

Currently, he is a member of the Advisory Board of the CAREC Think Tank Network,[2] chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan Think Tank Alliance (ATTA), a member of Working Groups on "Grand Corruption and State Capture" and "Asset Stolen Recovery" of the UNCAC Coalition – Association for the Implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption and local expert in Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan (IAP) 5th Round of Monitoring Assessment Framework of the OECD.

[62] In August 2014, in conjunction with the investigation into international donors and their grantees, the authorities froze the bank accounts of the Economic Research Centre (ERC) and its director, Gubad Ibadoghlu.

[68] Later on 23 February 2023, ECtHR ruled that preventing[69] Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu from registering the Public Initiative Center, another NGO focusing on civil rights, is a violation of Article 11 in the case of Bayramov and Imanov v. Azerbaijan, application no.

In 2023, Ilham Aliyev made a public speech about Dr. Gubad, saying: "So-called economics experts, who are cockcrowing from abroad and domestically, open your eyes wide, and keep your rat-trap shut into stomach!

"[72] In 2001-2011, Dr. Gubad published a report of Azerbaijan's customs that proved that goods worth 11 billion dollars were imported into the country illegally, without state registration and without paying any taxes and duties to the budget.

[86] Dr. Gubad has been a member of EITI[44] and worked closely with Crude Accountability,[6][5] authoring many reports on Azerbaijan's policy covering the environmental impact of poor governance in oil and gas industry.

[92] Recent topics covered by BIZ TV were "corruption in Nagorno-Karabakh", "detention conditions of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev", "War in Ukraine", "Increased Repression in the country" and political, social and economic rights.

Gubad Ibadoghlu, established the chairperson of the Azerbaijan Democracy and Prosperity Movement in 2014 with a social-democratic platform, that has been arbitrarily denied registration six times as a political party by the Azerbaijani authorities.

[127] "This issue - treasures that were taken out of the country and their security - is the most sensitive, most taboo topic for the government," one education expert, Rashad Aliyev, wrote, alleging that Ibadoglu's intention to work toward the confiscation of these funds was the sole reason for his arrest.

[130] The government media publishes articles trying link Dr. Gubad to FETÖ, Soros Foundation,[131] atheism,[132] LGBTQIA+ rights,[133] implying that he is an Iranian spy[134] and that he has extensive connections to the Armenian diaspora.

[141][142][143][126] The nervous stress caused by the arrest and trans-national aggression has led to aggravation of thyroid goiter, kidney and other organ problems, and the vision in his left eye has also deteriorated.

[16] Human Rights Watch has stated that "Ibadoghlu's detention falls squarely in a longstanding pattern of pursuing dubious charges against government critics in Azerbaijan".

"[172] The embassies of the UK, France, the US and Germany have made a joint statement soon after the arrest, urging the respect for Gubad Ibadoghlu's rights, access to medication and fair legal process.

[173][174][175] MEP Viola von Cramon has stated on Twitter: "Aliyev brutally persecutes any critical voice in Azerbaijan, who exposed the regime's corruption, Gubad Ibadoghlu is its latest victim.

[126] US Congressmen Bill Keating, Tom Kean and Gerry Connolly made a joint statement[177] calling on the Azerbaijani government to respect his rights and ensure access to medicine and a fair trial for Ibadoghlu, citing his health condition.

[194] MP Margaret Hodge wrote a letter to the Foreign Secretary David Cameron urging him to "consider using all tools at his disposal, including Human Rights and Corruption Sanctions, against those who are detaining Gubad Ibadoghlu in inhumane conditions and preventing his access to a fair trial".

[10][201] On April 25, 2024, shortly after Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu was moved to house arrest, the European Parliament adopted a second resolution demanding the unconditional release of journalists and activists in Azerbaijan as well as urging the Azerbaijani government to ensure his access to healthcare.

Additionally he stated that he brought up the case to the Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs during the OSCE meeting in November 2023 where Tobias Billström stressed the importance of providing the adequate medical care to Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu.

Chairman of the Party of People's Front of Azerbaijan (PPFA) Ali Kerimli also believes that the arrest of the famous politician and scientist Ibadoglu is "an act of political repression".

[208] A large group of representatives of the creative and scientific intelligentsia, civil society, the media and legal community of Azerbaijan appealed to President Ilham Aliyev with a request to assist in the release of economist Gubad Ibadoghlu.

[234] Among others, the Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies (CSEEES) at the University of North Carolina and Rutgers Unviversity have called on authorities in Azerbaijan to release Ibadoghlu.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, made an official statement in December 2023, noting Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu's deteriorating health and raising a concern as to why other alternatives such as house arrest were not considered in this case.

[239] Several articles were published by the Washington Post,[126][240][241] the Guardian,[242][243] Reuters,[244] Bild[245] and Al Jazeera,[246] discussing the case of Gubad Ibadoghlu as well as the larger picture of human rights abuses in Azerbaijan.

The article in Reuters, written in the wake of Azerbaijan being chosen as a host of COP29 in 2024, particularly emphasized that such a decision gives legitimacy to the actions of its government and serves as a distraction from an abysmal human rights record that includes the arrest and inhumane treatment of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu.

[244] The article in the Washington Post discussed the overarching wave of crackdowns on journalists and civil activists in Azerbaijan that started with the arrest of Gubad Ibadoghlu in July 2023 and is still ongoing.

[241] The Financial Times published an article in November 2023, discussing the allegations against Dr. Ibadoghlu and the potential underlying reasons for his arrest, such as his research indicating that Azerbaijan is reselling Russian gas to Europe.

[247] The Washington Examiner reported on his arrest and research in corruption as well, quoting him in saying that ""All the companies that rent land in Karabakh either belong to the President's family ... or to high-ranking officials."

[256] Dr Gubad, while in house arrest, published an article criticizing the insufficient spending on environmental protection in Azerbaijan, with no expenditures aimed at tackling the effects of climate change.