Azerbaijan court sentences rights activist Nargiz Mukhtarova to suspended term

Nargiz Mukhtarova

An Azerbaijani court has handed women’s rights defender Nargiz Mukhtarova a seven-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence in a case widely criticised by civil society groups.

The Baku Grave Crimes Court on Thursday found Mukhtarova guilty of money laundering and abuse of power, but dropped a forgery charge because the statute of limitations had expired.

She was given a three-year probation period. She had previously been under police supervision rather than in custody.

Prosecutors had accused Mukhtarova of conspiring with others to illegally obtain and "launder" more than 150,000 manats (£68,000; $88,000) from US-based donor organisations.

Addressing the court before her sentencing, Mukhtarova rejected all charges, calling the prosecution legally groundless.

"I have committed no crime," she said. "Everyone, with or without a legal background, knows there is no criminal element in this case."

She explained that the funds in question were legitimate payments for research on gender equality and women's rights under service contracts, which had been transferred to her state bank account with all taxes fully paid.

"The source of the funds is the US State Department," she told the court, referring to work she did through the international aid agency Mercy Corps.

Mukhtarova is the wife of Farid Mehralizade, an Azerbaijani journalist for the US-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

Mehralizade is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in connection with the "AbzasMedia case", a sweeping crackdown on independent journalism in Azerbaijan.

The couple have a two-year-old daughter who was born shortly after Mehralizade’s arrest. He has maintained his innocence, calling his charges politically motivated.

Mukhtarova's prosecution is part of a broader legal campaign known as the "NGO Case", which began in March 2025.

Around 15 civil society activists and NGO workers have faced criminal prosecution as part of the inquiry. Several have already received lengthy prison terms, including social worker Zamin Zaki, who was sentenced to seven and a half years, and regional community leader Asaf Ahmadov, who received an eight-year sentence.

Human rights groups have repeatedly accused Azerbaijan of using financial and administrative charges to silence independent journalists, rights defenders, and civil society advocates.

The government in Baku denies the claims, insisting that those prosecuted have violated national laws governing foreign funding.