Soyudlu protests
| Environmental protest in Soyudlu | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 20–27 June 2023 (initial events) with further developments through 2024 | ||
| Location | Söyüdlü (Soyudlu), Gadabay District, Azerbaijan | ||
| Caused by | protests against the construction of a new cyanide tailings reservoir near Gadabay gold mine | ||
| Methods | Protest, demonstration | ||
| Resulted in | Police crackdown; village lockdown; journalist detentions; temporary suspension of the mine, which resumed later | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Injuries | c. 15 reported | ||
| Arrested | 10+ initially; further arrests 2023–2024 | ||
Soyudlu protests or Söyüdlu events (Azerbaijani: Gədəbəy hadisələri or Söyüdlü hadisələri) are an environmental conflict that include protests and subsequent events in the village of Söyüdlü, in the Gadabay District of Azerbaijan in June, 2023.
The local population demonstrated against the planned construction of a new artificial lake containing waste from the nearby Gadabay gold mine. The crackdown on the protests by the Azerbaijani police, and video footage published by independent media (showing police using tear gas and rubber bullets against villagers, including elderly women) drew widespread criticism from human rights groups, which described it as disproportionate and unlawful.
During the crackdown, ten protestors were detained and reportedly 15 were injured. Of the detained, 1 was an Azerbaijani journalists, while three other Azerbaijani journalists were forcibly removed from the area, preventing coverage. The village of Soyudlu was put under lockdown by the Azerbaijani government, preventing entry and exit from the village.
These events became notable both for the severity of the crackdown and for its broader implications for environmental governance, rural community rights, and press freedom in Azerbaijan.