Court Denies Azer Gasimli’s Request for House Arrest

Azar Gasimli

On 21 May 2025, the Yasamal District Court reviewed a motion to replace the pre-trial detention of Azer Gasimli — the director of the Institute for Political Management and a jailed political figure — with house arrest. The judge denied the motion.

Azer Gasimli was detained on 8 December 2024 as a suspect under Article 182.2.3 of the Criminal Code (extortion committed with the use of force). He was arrested the following day, on 9 December 2024, by a decision of the Yasamal District Court.

On 3 April 2025, his pre-trial detention was extended for another two months.

He does not accept the charges against him and links his arrest to his critical political activities. Azer Gasimli has claimed that his arrest is politically motivated, saying that he is being punished for speaking the truth and sharing ideas that inform the public. He is known as a critic of the government.

He is accused of extorting money through threats from Qurbanali Yusibov, who is recognized as the victim in the case. However, his lawyer, Aqil Layij, stated that there is a legally binding court decision confirming that Qurbanali Yusibov owes money to Azer Gasimli. According to the lawyer, this makes the accusation of extortion completely absurd.

Previously, a travel ban had also been imposed on Azer Gasimli. He had been questioned in an investigation at the Baku City Main Police Department in connection with the case of Imran Aliyev, the imprisoned head of the website meclis.info.

According to estimates by local human rights defenders, there are currently over 350 political prisoners in Azerbaijani prisons. However, officials generally reject such claims and do not acknowledge the existence of political arrests in the country.

17 JanuaryAzer Gasimli’s Wife Questioned by Police

Samira Gasimli, the wife of imprisoned director of the Institute for Political Management, Azer Gasimli, gave a statement at the Yasamal District Police Department on 17 January 2025.

She herself reported the incident.

Samira Gasimli noted that she was questioned in connection with the criminal case against her husband:“I told the investigator that the case is fabricated and politically motivated. During the interrogation, I answered several questions, but refused to respond to others by invoking my constitutional right not to testify against a close relative.”