2021 in Azerbaijan

← 2020 2019 2018 2021 in Azerbaijan → 2022 2023 2024
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2021 Timeline of Azerbaijani history

This is a list of individuals and events related to Azerbaijan in 2021 .

Incumbents

• President: Ilham Aliyev
• Vice President: Mehriban Aliyeva
• Prime Minister: Ali Asadov
• National Assembly Speaker: Sahiba Gafarova

Events

Ongoing

• COVID-19 pandemic in Azerbaijan

January

• 4 January – Azerbaijani grandmaster Teimour Radjabov wins the Airthings Masters tournament of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. ^[1]
• 18 January –
  • COVID-19 pandemic: Mass COVID-19 vaccination begins in Azerbaijan, with Sinovac shots. ^[2]
  • Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that Armenia has returned all Azerbaijani prisoners who were captured during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. ^[3]
• 21 January – The presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Ilham Aliyev and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, reach an agreement to jointly develop a hydrocarbon field, which was disputed between the two countries for around 30 years, in the Caspian Sea. ^{[4] [5]}
• APFP member Niyameddin Ahmedov faces new charges of incitement and trafficking in banned items; police allegedly beat him in custody. ^[6]

February

• Mehdi Ibrahimov receives a 15-month suspended sentence on bogus charges of spreading COVID-19. ^[6]

March

• 8 March – Police disperse a women’s rights march in Baku, detaining at least 25 participants, including multiple human rights defenders. ^[7]
• A presidential pardon releases nearly 40 opposition activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. APFP member Mahammad Imanli is also pardoned. ^[6]

April

• APFP activist Said Mamedzade Bakuvi is sentenced to three-and-a-half years for hooliganism, it is later replaced with a suspended sentence. ^[6]

May

• 13 May – Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of sending troops across the border in a disputed incident, violating a prior withdrawal agreement. Armenia requests Russian military assistance. Azerbaijan denies any wrongdoing, stating its forces only defend their side of the frontier. ^[8]
• 21 May – Azerbaijan announces discussions with BP to develop solar energy production in Karabakh, aiming to expand renewable energy investment in the region. ^[9]

June

• 4 June – A Kamaz passenger bus carrying journalists and officials hits an anti-tank mine near Susuzluq village, Kalbajar District, killing three people and injuring four others. ^[10]

November

• 30 November – The Azerbaijani State Border Service Mil Mi-17 crashes during drills in Garaheybat; 14 killed and 2 injured. An investigation is launched, and the victims are given martyr status. ^[11]

December

• 1 December – A peaceful protest in Baku supporting jailed activist Saleh Rustamli is met with force; over 40 are arrested with reports of torture and injuries. ^[12]

See also

• Outline of Azerbaijan
• List of Azerbaijan-related topics
• History of Azerbaijan

References

Citations

1. Mahdiyev, Mushvig (15 January 2022). "A Look Back at Remarkable Events of 2021 in Azerbaijan". Caspian News. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
2. "Mass COVID-19 vaccination begins in Azerbaijan". Xinhua. 19 January 2021. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
3. "Russia says all Azeri captives returned under Karabakh deal". Reuters. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
4. Pannier, Bruce (22 January 2021). "Analysis: Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan Resolve A 30-Year Dispute Over Caspian Field". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
5. "Azərbaycanla Türkmənistan 'Dostluq' edəcək". Azadlıq Radiosu (in Azerbaijani). 21 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
6. Human Rights Watch (13 December 2021), "Azerbaijan: Events of 2021", Share this via Facebook, retrieved 7 September 2025
7. "Statement on Events Surrounding the 8 March 2021 March in Central Baku". Human Rights House Foundation. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
8. "Armenia says Azerbaijan fails to fully withdraw after border incident". Reuters. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
9. "Azerbaijan says it is discussing solar energy production in Karabakh with BP". Reuters. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
10. "Kəlbəcər rayonunda iki jurnalist minaya düşərək həlak olub (Yenilənib)". Turan Information Agency . 4 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
11. AP (30 November 2021). "Military helicopter crash in Azerbaijan kills 14, wounds 2". The Times of Israel. ISSN   0040-7909 . Retrieved 7 September 2025.
12. "Condemnation of rights violations surrounding the 1 December 2021 protest in Baku". Human Rights House Foundation. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2025.