Public Activist Ahmad Mammadli Detained and Accused of Intentional Harm

Ahmad Mammadli

On the evening of May 6, 2025, public and political activist Ahmad Mammadli was detained by officers from the Binagadi District Police Department. According to reports from his relatives and fellow activists, Mammadli was subjected to violence during his detention and later accused of causing serious bodily harm.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) confirmed the arrest on May 7, stating that Mammadli was involved in a dispute in the Bilajari settlement that allegedly resulted in a stabbing. According to the MIA, around 10:00 p.m. on May 6, a man named Vuqar Dunyamaliev sustained stab wounds to the abdominal area on R. Ismayilov Street. The ministry reported that the suspect was identified as Ahmad Mammadli, born in Jalilabad, and a criminal case has been launched under Article 126 of the Criminal Code (“intentional infliction of serious harm”).

However, those close to Mammadli strongly dispute the accusations. Journalist Shahla Karim wrote on social media that Mammadli was assaulted after getting into a taxi on his way home late on May 6. According to her, another individual entered the taxi behind him and began attacking him. Mammadli was allegedly forced into another vehicle, taken to a separate location, beaten, and subjected to electric shocks in an attempt to unlock his phone.

His wife, Turkan Mammadli, told Meydan TV that the accusations against him are fabricated and baseless:

“Carrying a knife? Ahmad wouldn’t even touch a knife at home. On the contrary, he’s someone who tries to calm people down in tense situations. He would never start a fight.”

She added that the real reason for his arrest is his activism:

“His arrest is connected to his work as an activist. Ahmad was also active as an independent journalist, regularly providing court materials to media outlets. That may have contributed to his arrest. At the end of March this year, he attempted to leave the country but was stopped due to a travel ban imposed by the Prosecutor General’s Office. We were told it was a technical issue that would be resolved, but the ban was extended. It seems this was planned in advance. His arrest was orchestrated from the beginning.”

Turkan Mammadli also stated that her husband is being defended by lawyer Elchin Sadiqov, but that as of May 7, she had not been able to establish contact or receive any official information about him.

Activist Kamran Mammadli, a friend of Ahmad’s, wrote that after parting ways with him around 9:50 p.m. on May 6 at 28 May metro station, he lost contact.

“At first, his phone was unreachable, and now it rings but goes unanswered. We suspect he has been detained,” Kamran Mammadli posted on Facebook.

Turkan also addressed the Ministry of Internal Affairs in a social media post:

“The last time I spoke with Ahmad was at 22:11. After that, I couldn’t reach him at all. Where is my husband? Answer me!!”

His relatives insist that the case is fabricated:

“Now they claim he injured someone. Ahmad Mammadli says this is a setup and that he was beaten. His condition is serious,” they said.

This is not Mammadli’s first encounter with law enforcement. In 2022, while serving as the chairman of the D-18 Movement (which was disbanded in 2023), he was sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention for allegedly disobeying a lawful police order. At the time, he attributed the arrest to his calls for peace and criticism of President Ilham Aliyev.

Additionally, since January 2024, Ahmad Mammadli has been under a travel ban, linked to allegations that he submitted a fake university admission letter to the State Service for Mobilization and Conscription. He had claimed he was admitted to pursue graduate studies at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University in Turkey.

His case follows a broader pattern in Azerbaijan, where accusations of physical assault have been frequently used against political opponents. Over the past year, Afiyaddin Mammadov, chairman of the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Labor Desk, was sentenced to 8 years in prison on similar charges. Kenan Zeynalov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), and other activists have also been arrested under the same article. Rights groups and relatives of the detainees widely consider these cases to be fabricated.

Human rights defenders have recognized many of the arrested individuals as political prisoners. According to local organizations, as of May 2025, there are approximately 360 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Despite these concerns, government officials deny that any politically motivated arrests are taking place in the country.