Law Society Appeals for Zabil Qahramanov's Release Amid Concerns Over Legal Independence in Azerbaijan

Zabil Qahramanov

The arrest of Zabil Qahramanov, a well-known defense lawyer, has put Azerbaijan's legal system under international scrutiny. Mark Evans, head of the Law Society of England and Wales, which represents over 200,000 lawyers, formally asked President Ilham Aliyev to release Qahramanov right away and give him back his license to practice law.

Prosecution Pattern

Qahramanov is known for taking on tough cases, often representing people who say they have been victims of police brutality and injustice. His recent problems started after he spoke publicly about the police violence in Azerbaijan. On October 8, 2025, after the Ministry of Internal Affairs complained, the Bar Association stopped Qahramanov’s license for six months. The lack of clear reasons behind this move suggests it might have been politically motivated, not based on actual ethical problems.

Things got worse on October 23 when Qahramanov was arrested in Ganja after a reported argument at a car wash. He is now charged with hooliganism and fraud, which could mean up to seven years in prison. Qahramanov says he is innocent and that the charges are made up and that the people involved are being used by the government to silence him.

Global Concern and Legal Standards

Mark Evans sees Qahramanov’s arrest as part of a larger pressure and persecution against lawyers who support the law in Azerbaijan. Evans wrote that the charges and the suspension of Qahramanov’s license look like revenge for his work concerning human rights.

The Law Society’s appeal points out a worrying trend that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has seen. The court has often found Azerbaijan guilty of violating the European Convention on Human Rights by unfairly suspending and disbarring lawyers. Evans mentioned the recent case of Imanov v. Azerbaijan, where the ECHR ruled that disbarring a lawyer for exposing torture was a harsh punishment that violated freedom of expression.

Protecting the Rule of Law

According to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, lawyers should be able to do their jobs without being scared, blocked, or improperly interfered with. They should not be seen as supporting their clients' causes or face criminal charges for doing their jobs. Given these rules, the Law Society has asked the Azerbaijani government to stop persecuting Zabil Qahramanov immediately, drop all charges related to his work as a lawyer, and quickly give him back his license to practice law. The appeal asks for changes to make sure that all lawyers in the country can work freely and safely, according to international standards.

As an organization with special status at the UN Economic and Social Council, the Law Society has promised to watch closely the situation of Qahramanov and other lawyers in Azerbaijan who are in trouble. The message is clear: a society cannot be fair if those who defend the law are under attack.