Stepping Into The Unknown

Baku hosts the Europa League Final.

When supporters arrive in Baku for the Europa League Final on May 29, it is likely that they will only see the shiny UEFA gloss of the luminous 68,000-capacity Olympic Stadium and the charms of a city on the shores of the Caspian Sea; a blend of Belle Epoque mansions and modern skyscrapers that are monuments to Azerbaijan’s oil and gas conferred wealth.

But they will also be visiting one of the most repressive countries in Europe. And their experiences will almost certainly be very different from those of local football supporters.

In their World Report 2019, Human Rights Watch describes Azerbaijan’s human rights record as “appalling” and says that freedom of speech, media and association is severely restricted, torture is systemic and that around 50 activists and journalists are currently “wrongfully imprisoned”.

In a statement released in late March, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) raised a number of concerns over the suitability of Baku to host the Final, describing a harsh political environment that restricts fan rights and claiming: “Football supporters in Azerbaijan are also regularly targeted by the authorities. Minor offences can often lead to a period of administrative detention ranging up to eight weeks.”

According to Shamil Mustafayev, the leader of the national team’s supporters group: “It’s not that easy to be a fan in Azerbaijan – usually the main problem is police. There is little freedom for fans in terms of doing anything.”

A heavy police presence, with little skill in managing football crowds, tends to take sole charge of security for domestic matches and a minor offence such as lighting a flare could result in a prison sentence. “There is always tension between the fans and police,” adds Mustafayev, “and every match at least one fan ends up in the police station.”