The portrait of Sara Rahimova was taken in Baku, Azerbaijan, in June 2026 by a woman photographer who chose to remain anonymous.
Why did you become a human rights defender?
I became a human rights defender because I witnessed frequent human rights violations, especially those affecting workers, women, and other vulnerable groups. Over time, I realised that I could no longer remain indifferent to these violations, and I felt an increasing sense of responsibility.
My first field of activity was hydrometeorology, which is my professional specialisation. I worked on scientific projects and environmental protection issues. In 2023, I joined the Labour Desk Confederation of Trade Unions in Azerbaijan, where I became closely familiar with workers whose rights had been violated. That year, four of my friends, members of the Labour Desk Confederation of Trade Unions, became political prisoners. People began approaching me with their problems. I realised I was already acting as a human rights defender when I started helping people who needed support.
What is the nature of your work, and what challenges do you face as a Woman Human Rights Defender?
I am a board member of the Labour Desk Confederation of Trade Unions, and my main work focuses on protecting workers’ rights. I inform workers whose rights have been violated about their legal rights, support them in restoring those rights, communicate with employers and relevant state institutions, and, in some cases, work to publicise these problems and bring them to the media’s attention. At the same time, I continue to support political prisoners and focus on women’s rights and environmental protection.
As a woman human rights defender, I have faced various forms of pressure and threats. The pressure against me began after the couriers’ protest against the legislative changes on August 1, 2023 [and a joint statement by the Labour Desk Confederation of Trade Unions and the Courier Union Trade Union regarding the newly enacted law]. Since then, four of my colleagues have been arrested and sentenced to three to eight years in prison on trumped-up charges. As for me, there have been repeated attempts to access my social media accounts, and at times I have been followed and monitored.
In 2024, police officers intimidated my family, forcing me to leave my family home. I was detained in police stations and subjected to unlawful interrogations, with police officers demanding that I cease my activities and threatening me with criminal charges if I continued.
I have experienced physical violence, sexual harassment, threats, including “to visit a torture room”, and surveillance from the police reinforcements, smear campaigns against me by the state-affiliated television channels portraying me as a “traitor” for my anti-war, human rights and social rights activism.
In February 2026, my passport renewal was denied, and I was banned from leaving the country while a criminal case was opened against me. As of 18 August 2026, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan says the Baku City Main Police Department is investigating my case.
The travel ban, inability to obtain a passport, and the risk of my arrest at any moment remain.
What is the current human rights situation in Azerbaijan?
At present, the human rights situation in Azerbaijan is deeply concerning. There are 328 political prisoners in the country; independent media outlets have been shut down, and journalists and media workers have been imprisoned. Four members of The Labour Desk Confederation of Trade Unions, including the organisation’s chairman Afiaddin Mammadov, have been arrested for defending workers’ rights. Human rights defenders, journalists, NGO representatives, public and political activists, and members of various parties and organisations are being persecuted on baseless charges.
Once, while detained at a police station, I reminded the officers of my rights and stated that I wanted to contact my lawyer and my relatives, and that defending myself was my legal right. In response, a police officer sarcastically said to me: “Can a human really have so many rights?” I think this sentence is symbolic enough to describe the state of human rights in Azerbaijan.
What kind of human rights situation in Azerbaijan would you like to see in the next 30 years?
In the future, I would like to see Azerbaijan as a country where human rights and freedoms are protected and respected; where there are no political prisoners; where everyone is equal before the law; where peace and justice prevail; and where the environment is also protected.
Do human rights still matter?
Human rights are always important because they form the foundation of human dignity, freedom, equality, and justice. Especially in countries where rights and freedoms are restricted, defending human rights becomes even more important.
What is your motivation as a human rights defender?
My main motivation is seeing how support can positively change the lives of people whose rights have been violated. I love humanity and nature. My dream is to live in a society where people enjoy equality, freedom, and safety, and where peace, justice, and human rights truly exist.
The portrait of Sara was taken behind iron bars, symbolising her friends who remain imprisoned as political prisoners. The bars reflect the political risks and constraints associated with being a human rights defender in Azerbaijan. At the same time, the ray of sunlight illuminating Sara’s face serves as a powerful symbol of hope—an enduring belief in a more just future despite the challenges and hardships of the present.
About Portraits of Strength
Women human rights defenders (WHRDs) work to protect and advance freedoms while facing discrimination and stereotypes about their role and participation in society.
HRHF’s “Portraits of Strength” photography series honours the vital role that women play in defending human rights, and portrays women human rights defenders from across the Network of Human Rights Houses.
The exhibition, now in its fourth edition, shares portraits taken by local women photographers and tells the stories from WHRDs working on a variety of issues, including the documentation of human rights violations and alleged war crimes, rule of law, women’s rights, political prisoners, freedom of expression, and more.
Find out more here.
