This audacious distortion of reality and the denial of ethnic cleansing is deeply troubling. Take a moment to watch this clip from the opening speech by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Baku: https://www.youtube.com/live/M2MnIIjofu4?si=XBjLN0XsfnWRY9_G&t=3531
This echoes the concern of many of my colleagues: Hosting a prestigious event like the IAC in a country riddled with political controversies risks legitimizing or downplaying these issues.