Azerbaijan Opposition Party Faces Intensified Crackdown as Local Leader Arrested

Ali Karimli and Ruzi Bagirov

The Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) is experiencing an escalating wave of arrests targeting its members, with the latest incident involving a local party leader sentenced to 30 days imprisonment on administrative charges. The arrests highlight growing pressure on the country's main opposition party amid what human rights advocates describe as an expanding crackdown on political dissent.

Latest Arrest Continues Pattern of Harassment

Ruzi Bagirov, Chairman of the Council of the APFP's Dashkasan branch, was arrested on June 13 and sentenced to 30 days of administrative imprisonment. According to party statements, Bagirov was charged under Article 535 of the Administrative Violations Code for "deliberate failure to comply with lawful demands of a police officer or military serviceman."

The APFP maintains that Bagirov was framed, though the party has not yet disclosed additional details about the circumstances of his arrest. Attempts to obtain official responses from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other government institutions have been unsuccessful.

Dashkasan Branch Under Siege

The Dashkasan district branch of the APFP appears to be facing particular scrutiny from authorities. Bagirov's arrest comes as the branch's former chairman, Sahib Mammadzada, remains imprisoned on drug charges that he vehemently denies.

Mammadzada has been in custody for one year and three months following his arrest on narcotics-related charges. Initially sentenced to six years and six months by Ganja Court for Grave Crimes in December, his sentence was reduced to three years and six months by an appellate court in March. Like Bagirov, Mammadzada insists he was framed and that his arrest was politically motivated.

Broader Crackdown on Opposition

The arrests in Dashkasan reflect a wider pattern of legal action against APFP members nationwide. According to party data, nearly 10 APFP members have been arrested under administrative procedures in recent months, while criminal cases have been opened against at least 15 party members.

APFP Chairman Ali Karimli has characterized these developments as evidence of expanding political repression in Azerbaijan. Writing on his Facebook page, Karimli noted that the overall number of political prisoners in the country has exceeded 375 people.

"In circumstances where the number of political prisoners in our country has exceeded 375 people, there is only one way to stop the repressions," Karimli stated. "Every illegal arrest by the regime from the rival political camp must face nationwide condemnation. Our people must express their will at every opportunity that they are against political arrests and demand freedom for all political prisoners."

Party's Call for Resistance

Karimli has framed the recent arrests as part of a systematic campaign to silence political opposition, describing the situation as "an expansion of the scale of repressions in the country." The party leader is calling for public resistance to what the APFP characterizes as politically motivated prosecutions.

Currently, around 15 APFP members are serving long-term prison sentences on various charges, while many more activists have faced administrative arrests. Despite facing different accusations, the party maintains that all arrested members were targeted for their political activities rather than any genuine criminal conduct.

Official Denial vs. Rights Groups' Concerns

Azerbaijani officials consistently reject claims about the existence of political prisoners in the country. Government representatives emphasize that individuals listed as political prisoners by opposition groups and human rights organizations were prosecuted solely for criminal acts they committed, not for their political beliefs or activities.

However, human rights defenders paint a different picture. According to calculations by some human rights advocates, there are currently more than 370 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, suggesting a significant gap between official government positions and civil society assessments.

Current Status and Implications

The intensification of arrests targeting APFP members occurs against the backdrop of Azerbaijan's increasingly restrictive political environment. The opposition party, which has historically been one of the most vocal critics of the government, now finds itself with approximately 15 members in long-term custody and dozens more facing various legal proceedings.

The pattern of arrests in the Dashkasan branch—with both current and former leadership facing imprisonment—may indicate a strategic approach by authorities to dismantle local party structures. This systematic targeting of party infrastructure could significantly impact the APFP's ability to organize and maintain its presence in regional areas.

As the crackdown continues, the APFP faces the challenge of maintaining its political activities while protecting its members from what it describes as state harassment. The party's calls for public resistance and international attention to Azerbaijan's human rights situation reflect its strategy of seeking both domestic and international pressure to address what it characterizes as political persecution.

The silence from official institutions regarding the latest arrests suggests that the current trajectory of increased pressure on opposition figures is likely to continue, raising concerns among human rights advocates about the state of political freedoms in Azerbaijan.