Political Crackdown #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #AliKarimli #RamizMehdiyev Political Crackdown: In late November and early December 2025, authorities detained several high-profile opposition figures, including Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party, on charges related to an alleged coup attempt. share.google/aimode/htn0NnTB… Political Crackdown: In late November and early December 2025, authorities detained several high-profile opposition figures, including Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party, on charges related to an alleged coup attempt. In late November and early December 2025, Azerbaijani authorities launched a significant political crackdown, detaining high-profile opp

Political Crackdown
#SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #AliKarimli #RamizMehdiyev
Political Crackdown: In late November and early December 2025, authorities detained several high-profile opposition figures, including Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party, on charges related to an alleged coup attempt.
share.google/aimode/htn0NnTB…
Political Crackdown: In late November and early December 2025, authorities detained several high-profile opposition figures, including Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party, on charges related to an alleged coup attempt.
In late November and early December 2025, Azerbaijani authorities launched a significant political crackdown, detaining high-profile opposition leaders on charges of an alleged coup attempt.
Key Detentions and Legal Actions
Ali Karimli: The leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) was detained on November 29, 2025, following a raid on his home by the State Security Service. On December 1, he was remanded to pre-trial detention until February 13, 2026. He is charged under Article 278.1 for “actions aimed at the violent seizure of power”.
Mammad Ibrahim: A member of the PFPA presidium and advisor to Karimli, Ibrahim was also detained on November 29 and remanded to custody until mid-February on similar charges.
Vugar Gadirli: Another PFPA member was detained on December 12, 2025, and placed in three months of pre-trial detention on charges of illegal firearms possession, which the party claims were planted.
Murad Sultanli: The Chairman of the PFPA Audit Commission was handed 30 days of administrative arrest on December 18, 2025.
Alleged Coup and Connections
Authorities have linked the arrests of Karimli and other PFPA members to an ongoing criminal investigation against Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the presidential administration (1994–2019). Mehdiyev, 87, was placed under house arrest in October 2025 on charges of high treason and attempting to illegally seize power. Pro-government media and sources claim Karimli was being financed by Mehdiyev as part of a plot to overthrow President Ilham Aliyev.
Response and Impact
Opposition Denial: Ali Karimli and the PFPA have completely rejected the charges, describing them as “political repression” and an attempt to destroy the country’s last independent political force.
Broad Scale: Independent media outlets report that more than 20 PFPA members are currently in police custody as part of this wave of arrests.
International Criticism: Amnesty International and other human rights groups characterized the arrests as a “consolidation of authoritarian practices” intended to silence all remaining dissent.
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— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Dec 19, 2025