17 Nov Swiss Business with SOCAR Funds Corruption, War and Ethnic Cleansing
SOCAR’s Business in Switzerland Funds Brutal Dictatorship, Global Corruption, War and Ethnic Cleansing
Azerbaijan, the host of the upcoming COP29 climate conference, is heavily reliant on its state-owned oil and gas company, SOCAR, which has faced numerous allegations of corruption and involvement in human rights abuses. Despite the country’s attempts to present itself as a leader in the fight against climate change, SOCAR’s questionable practices and close ties to the Azerbaijani government have raised serious concerns among international observers.
SOCAR’s influence extends far beyond Azerbaijan’s borders, with the company operating a network of petrol stations in Switzerland and maintaining a trading office in Geneva. However, this presence has not gone unnoticed, as Swiss civil society groups and politicians have called for an end to the country’s business ties with SOCAR, citing the company’s alleged involvement in Azerbaijan’s military campaign in Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been described as “ethnic cleansing” by the European Union parliament and Armenia.
The Azerbaijani government, led by President Ilham Aliyev, a former SOCAR vice-president, has been accused of using the company’s wealth to fund its repressive regime and crack down on dissent. Journalists, civil society members, and government critics have been arbitrarily sentenced, while the country ranks near the bottom of press freedom indices.
SOCAR’s trading office in Geneva has also been implicated in a web of suspicious payments related to a Maltese power plant construction deal. Investigations have revealed that millions of dollars were transferred to offshore companies linked to SOCAR and a Maltese businessman, Yorgen Fenech, who is currently in prison for his alleged role in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was investigating money laundering related to the project.
Despite the mounting evidence of SOCAR’s involvement in corruption and human rights abuses, the international community has been slow to act. Critics argue that governments, including Switzerland, have failed to put sufficient pressure on Azerbaijan and continue to provide the country with development cooperation funding, despite the regime’s repressive actions.
As COP29 approaches, it is crucial that the international community takes a closer look at Azerbaijan’s state-owned energy giant and its role in perpetuating corruption and human rights violations. The world cannot afford to turn a blind eye to SOCAR’s misdeeds, and it is time for governments and civil society to hold the company and its Azerbaijani backers accountable for their actions.