Shamsad Agha: “Such repressions cannot stifle the people's desire for democracy and justice.”

Shamsad Agha

Shamsad Agha, a journalist arrested in the "Meydan TV case" and the chief editor of the arqument.az website, has written a letter from the Baku Investigation Isolator regarding Ali Karimli's arrest.

We present the letter as it is:

“I resolutely condemn the arrest of Ali Karimli. I consider this another act of repression against democracy by the government, and personally by Ilham Aliyev. Ali Karimli, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), and Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the party's Presidium, were detained on fabricated charges and subsequently arrested by a court decision. Both of them have been accused of actions aimed at violently seizing power and forcibly changing the constitutional order. It is known to all of us that this accusation is entirely fabricated and aims to neutralize political opponents.

Ali Karimli and Mammad Ibrahim will remain in custody for months during the investigation period. Their arrest is part of a broader intimidation campaign against the democratic opposition in the country.

These steps by the government constitute a new and large-scale campaign of persecution launched against democratic forces in our country. For years, the government has been trying to create fear in society by arresting critics on various pretexts. But such repressions cannot stifle the people's desire for democracy and justice. Ali Karimli, Mammad Ibrahim, and other innocently arrested individuals must be released immediately.

Let's not forget that those who try to silence Ali Karimli today may dare to trample on the rights of each of us tomorrow. People fighting for democracy and freedoms need our defense and solidarity. I believe that justice will ultimately prevail. Together, we must stop this wave of repression and continue the struggle for freedom and justice for the future of our country."

Shamsad Agha

Baku Investigation Isolator