Ali Kerimli, Leader of One of Azerbaijan’s Oldest Opposition Parties, Arrested

«Authorities in Azerbaijan have arrested Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), for two and a half months on charges of attempting a violent seizure of power. Several other key opposition figures were detained alongside the head of one of the country’s oldest opposition parties. Human rights groups say the country has been experiencing a wave of repression for the past two years, and the number of political prisoners is now the highest since the early 2000s. Under the charge of attempting a violent takeover, Kerimli faces a prison sentence ranging from 12 years to life. He was detained on Saturday, and on Monday a court ordered his arrest for two months and 13 days. Pro-government media claim that during a search, the State Security Service found letters allegedly written by Ramiz Mehdiyev — the former head of the presidential administration who had previously been accused by the same media outlets of plotting a coup. However, Mehdiyev’s status as an accused party has not been officially confirmed. The PFPA has long faced political pressure, with its members jailed even before 2019, when Mehdiyev left his position in President Ilham Aliyev’s administration. Shortly before his arrest, Kerimli publicly denied any connection between his party and Mehdiyev. The arrest sparked intense debate on social media, where many commenters expressed disbelief that Kerimli and an elderly former official would plot a coup together — and keep physical letters as evidence.»