Key facts
- Rufat Safarov, a prominent rights activist and former prosecutor, was sentenced to eight years in prison in Azerbaijan.
- Safarov was convicted of hooliganism and fraud.
- His lawyer stated the conviction was politically motivated and intends to appeal.
- Tofig Yagublu, another opposition activist, received a nine-year sentence for fraud and document forgery.
- Peace activist Bahruz Samadov was sentenced to 15 years for treason.
- Azerbaijan faces Western criticism over its human rights record and a series of arrests of activists and journalists.
A court in Azerbaijan has sentenced prominent rights activist Rufat Safarov to eight years in prison after convicting him of hooliganism and fraud. Safarov's lawyer, Rovshana Rahimova, stated that the case was politically motivated and that she would appeal the verdict.
Safarov, a former prosecutor, runs the rights group Defense Line. He had previously served three years for bribery before receiving a pardon from President Ilham Aliyev in 2019.
In a separate case, opposition activist Tofig Yagublu was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of fraud and document forgery. Amnesty International described his trial as politically motivated and part of a systematic crackdown on opposition and civil society in Azerbaijan.
Furthermore, peace activist and journalist Bahruz Samadov was sentenced to 15 years in prison on treason charges. His trial was conducted behind closed doors, and he reportedly attempted suicide and began a hunger strike after the prosecution sought a 16-year sentence. Samadov was initially detained in August 2024.
Azerbaijan has faced criticism from the West regarding its human rights record, particularly following a series of arrests of independent journalists and political activists. The Azerbaijani government rejects this criticism, viewing calls for the release of detainees as interference in its judicial system.