Azerbaijan's Supreme Court Upholds Conviction of Opposition Leader Ali Karimli

Ali Karimli

Azerbaijan's Supreme Court has upheld the defamation conviction against Ali Karimli, leader of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP). The APFP announced that an appeal against this decision will be filed with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

On December 2, 2024, Ali Karimli was sentenced to a fine of 1500 manats (approximately 900 USD) in a defamation case.

A private criminal complaint was filed against him by Aydin Aliyev, a former member of the APFP. Aliyev, a former chairman of the APFP's control and audit commission, was expelled from the party for engaging in pro-government public activities. Karimli stated that the accusation was baseless.

He linked the case to his political activities.

On July 23, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan heard Karimli's cassation appeal, presided over by Judge Nazim Movsumov.

His lawyer, Fakhraddin Mehdiyev, pointed to the groundlessness of the verdict against Karimli.

In his opinion, the case should not have been accepted for proceedings and investigated by the court at all. "Karimli's statements were evaluative; they contained neither insult nor defamation. The conviction violates Articles 6 (right to a fair trial), 10 (freedom of expression), and 18 (limitation on use of restrictions on rights) of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in relation to Karimli," Mehdiyev said.

"Nevertheless, the Supreme Court also upheld the verdict," Mehdiyev added.

The APFP stated that a complaint regarding the Supreme Court's decision would be filed with the ECHR.

"The possibilities for appeal in local judicial instances have been exhausted. The next stage is a complaint to the ECHR. It is clear that this was not a legal but a political process aimed at punishing Ali Karimli for his consistent political struggle against the regime," the party said.

The private accuser, Aliyev, was unavailable for comment.

The APFP is the successor to the Popular Front movement, established in the republic in 1989 in the struggle for Azerbaijan's independence. In 1995, the Popular Front was transformed into the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party. After the death of the party's leader, ex-President Abulfaz Elchibey, in 2000, Ali Karimli has been its permanent chairman. In 1993, Karimli served as Secretary of State of Azerbaijan. In 1995 and 2000, Karimli was elected as a member of the Azerbaijani parliament on the APFP list.

For the past two decades, Karimli has been one of the most ardent critics of the Azerbaijani authorities.