Ukrainian court releases Azerbaijani opposition activist Bahruz Hasanli

Bahruz Hasanli

A court in Ukraine has released Bahruz Hasanli, a member of Azerbaijan’s main opposition party who was detained in Kharkiv on an Azerbaijani extradition request.

Hasanli, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP), announced his release on social media shortly after leaving the courtroom.

"I was released from the courtroom just now," he wrote, adding that he would provide further details after taking time to recover.

The activist, who served as a personal security guard for AXCP leader Ali Karimli before moving to Ukraine in 2022, was taken into custody by police on 27 July.

At the time, Hasanli posted online that he was being transported to a police station in Kharkiv following a request from the government in Baku.

AXCP press officer Natiq Adilov said Hasanli faced fraud charges in Azerbaijan, which the activist described as fabricated and groundless.

Opposition politician Fuad Gahramanli alleged the charges were intended to secure Hasanli's extradition so he could be linked to an ongoing criminal case against Karimli.

The National Council of Democratic Forces, an opposition coalition, condemned the detention, noting that Hasanli had remained in Ukraine to support the country's sovereignty following Russia's full-scale invasion.

Extraditing him to Azerbaijan on politically motivated charges would pose a serious risk to his freedom, safety, and fundamental rights, the coalition said in a statement.

Ukrainian authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the precise legal basis for Hasanli's initial detention.

Karimli has been held in Azerbaijan since 29 November 2025 alongside AXCP board member Mammad Ibrahim. Both men are accused of attempting to forcibly alter the state's constitutional order — charges they reject.

State-aligned media in Azerbaijan reported that Karimli and Ibrahim were detained in connection with a criminal investigation into Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the Presidential Administration.

Mehdiyev is accused of high treason, attempting to forcibly seize state power, and laundering criminally obtained assets.

AXCP representatives have denied any links to Mehdiyev, stating that more than 15 party members are currently in prison on political orders.

Human rights organisations estimate there are currently 328 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani officials deny the existence of political prisoners, maintaining that those detained are facing justice for specific criminal acts.