This week in Azerbaijan, former Presidential Administration head Ramiz Mehdiyev was placed under house arrest on treason charges, the ongoing “NGO case” drew renewed international criticism, and the arrest of lawyer Zabil Gahramanov reignited debate over pressure on the country’s legal profession.
Former Presidential Administration head Ramiz Mehdiyev placed under house arrest on treason charges
On October 14, Baku’s Sabail District Court ordered four months of house arrest for Ramiz Mehdiyev, former head of the Presidential Administration and ex-president of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. According to reports from government-aligned media, Mehdiyev is being prosecuted under Articles 278.1 (actions aimed at seizing state power), 274 (high treason), and 193-1.3.2 (money laundering in large amounts) of the Criminal Code. The investigation is being conducted by the State Security Service (DTX).
Mehdiyev, who served as presidential chief of staff from 1995 to 2019 and later led the National Academy of Sciences until 2022, is one of the most influential political figures in Azerbaijan’s modern history. Shortly after the court’s decision, pro-government outlets published a letter allegedly written by Mehdiyev calling for major reforms in Azerbaijan’s state administration. The letter’s authenticity has not been confirmed, and no official statement has been issued by the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Security Service, or the Presidential Administration.
Media reports indicate that up to 180 individuals have been questioned as part of the investigation, though their identities remain undisclosed. The same day, the DTX carried out an operation at the offices of Hurriyyet newspaper, Hurriyyet.az, and Hurriyyet TV, detaining editor-in-chief Vugar Mammadov and seizing equipment and documents. The operation is believed to be linked to the Mehdiyev case.
Meanwhile, jailed civic activist Bakhtiyar Haciyev remarked that Mehdiyev now faces the same charges once used against members of civil society. The investigation continues.
International criticism grows over Azerbaijan’s ongoing “NGO case”
The trial of civil society activists accused of financial crimes in Azerbaijan’s so-called “NGO case” continued this week, drawing strong criticism from international human rights organizations.
Among the defendants is civic activist Nargiz Mukhtarova, who faces charges of money laundering, abuse of power, and document forgery. Prosecutors allege that she and several others falsified project documents and laundered more than 150,000 manats in foreign grant money. Mukhtarova rejects the accusations, describing them as politically motivated.
Her case is part of a wider crackdown that has affected more than a hundred activists, journalists, and NGO workers. The controversy deepened after U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern, Co-Chair of the Congressional Human Rights Commission, sent a letter to President Ilham Aliyev urging the government to drop the charges against Mukhtarova and release her husband, journalist Farid Mehralizade of Radio Liberty, who remains imprisoned. McGovern warned that the charges appeared to be retaliation for U.S.-funded independent reporting and highlighted the humanitarian toll on the couple’s one-year-old daughter.
Human rights organizations view the “NGO case” as part of a broader effort to restrict independent civic activity. Critics argue that the government’s use of financial and administrative prosecutions against NGOs is intended to suppress dissent and discourage cooperation with international partners. McGovern’s letter has reignited calls from global rights groups for Azerbaijan to end politically motivated prosecutions and uphold freedoms of expression and association.
Lawyer Zabil Gahramanov’s detention raises concerns over pressure on legal professionals
Azerbaijani lawyer Zabil Gahramanov was detained by police in Ganja shortly after his six-month suspension from the Bar Association.
Authorities accuse him of injuring a man during an altercation at a car wash in Goygol on October 23. His arrest, however, has drawn public concern that the charges may be politically motivated and linked to broader pressure on independent lawyers.
Gahramanov is known for defending clients in politically sensitive cases, including Ilkin Suleymanov, the defendant in the high-profile Narmin Guliyeva murder case. His suspension reportedly followed a disciplinary investigation triggered by his social media criticism of Ganja police. Rights groups note that disciplinary actions against lawyers in Azerbaijan frequently coincide with public criticism of law enforcement, raising concerns about violations of freedom of expression and professional independence.
On October 28, the Ganja Court of Appeal upheld Gahramanov’s three-month pretrial detention. He faces charges under Articles 221.2.2 (hooliganism) and 178.2.4 (fraud causing significant damage) of the Criminal Code. Human rights advocates see his case as part of a continuing pattern of intimidation against lawyers representing politically active citizens. They warn that such actions undermine the independence of the legal profession, erode public trust in the justice system, and contradict international human rights standards.
