Azerbaijani Opposition Figure Alikhan Rajabli Jailed on Drug Claims

Alikhan Rajabli

Alikhan Rajabli, who is with the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP) in the Masalli region, was recently arrested, adding strain to Azerbaijan's political climate. Police in Masalli took Rajabli into custody on January 7. The court decided he will be held for three months before his trial. He is accused of getting and having illegal drugs without planning to sell them, which could mean three to eight years in prison, according to Article 234.1 of the Criminal Code.

There is much debate around his arrest. Natiq Adilov, the AXCP’s spokesperson, said that Rajabli hurt himself during the arrest, cutting his arms to show he was against being held. Adilov said that Rajabli expected problems. Rajabli had shared a recording of a discussion with a local investigator named Elvin, where Rajabli said that the police officer was targeting him due to his ties with the opposition party.

The AXCP and Rajabli’s backers say the drug accusations are false. They say he has health problems and does not smoke, which proves the claims are untrue. The party believes he was arrested because of his political views on social media. This is not the only case like this. The AXCP says about 20 of its members, including the leader, Ali Karimli, are in prison for what the party says are political reasons.

The Azerbaijani government says these arrests are due to criminal actions. But the opposition sees it as a systematic effort to silence them. The situation is made worse by the recent death of Elbayi Karimli, another AXCP member, who died in jail last month on similar drug charges after a political demonstration. Rajabli's case is now a key issue in the conflict between the government and the opposition about political speech in Azerbaijan.