Aliyev's era: the accusation of seizing power
On December 1, the Sabail District Court of Baku sentenced Ali Kerimli, chairman of the Azerbaijan People's Front National Democratic Party, and Mamed Ibrahim, a member of the party's board, to 2 months and 15 days in prison. Politicians are accused on the basis of a preliminary agreement with the aim of seizing power by force. These charges could result in severe sentences ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment.
Connection and refutation with a former boss
Kerimli was detained on November 29. According to Azerbaijani state media, some letters attributed to the former head of the presidential administration, Ramiz Mehtiyev, were found in it. In October, the 87-year-old Mekhtiyev was sent to house arrest on charges of attempted coup and treason. According to a Reuters source, officials suspect that Kerimli was financed by Mekhtiev. The opposition leader denied the accusations against him and considers them politically motivated.
A series of repressions and record figures
Kerimli assumed the leadership of the party in 2000 after the death of Abulfaz Elchibay. For the next 20 years, he was not issued a passport to travel abroad, which the European Court of Human Rights found to violate his right to freedom of movement. Human rights activists consider Ali Kerimli's arrest an integral part of a series of repressions. According to the Union "For the Freedom of Political Prisoners," in October 2025, the number of political prisoners in the country reached 392 - a record high during Ilham Aliyev's 22-year presidency. As a result, dozens of journalists, activists, and politicians who criticized the authorities were forced to leave the country.
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