Azerbaijan opposition leader Ali Karimli faces harsher prison conditions, party says

Ali Karimli

The family and lawyers of jailed Azerbaijani opposition leader Ali Karimli say his prison conditions have been further restricted, with his daily exercise cut and family phone calls banned.

According to reports from the opposition-linked Azadliq newspaper on Monday, Karimli was again denied his weekly phone call to his family last week.

His daily outdoor exercise has been halved to one hour, and prison guards have blocked his lawyers from handing over written updates regarding online political discussions.

A court in Baku has reportedly refused to review a formal complaint filed by his legal team over his treatment.

The Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP) previously warned in June that Karimli’s conditions were deteriorating, after he was moved to a different cell where his television and radio were removed.

Party officials said prison administrators restricted his phone privileges because they were unhappy with him answering journalists' questions during calls.

Azerbaijan's State Security Service (DTX) and prison authorities have not commented on the allegations.

Karimli and fellow party member Mammad Ibrahim have been held in pre-trial detention since 29 November 2025.

They are accused of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Both men deny the charges.

Last month, the Sabail District Court extended their detention by five months to 13 November 2026.

The prosecution has linked their case to a coup investigation involving Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the Presidential Administration, who remains under house arrest on treason charges.

The AXCP maintains that the allegations are entirely fabricated. In a statement, the party described Karimli's detention as "purely politically motivated" and part of a broader crackdown on political opposition.

In May, Karimli was denied permission to attend the funeral of his father, Amirhuseyn Karimov, despite previous precedents where jailed politicians were temporarily released for family bereavements.