Azerbaijani activist Akhmedov denied the charges in court.

Activist Asef Akhmedov, arrested in Azerbaijan in connection with a case involving Western grants to NGOs, denied the charges in court and stated that the investigation is attempting to criminalize the activists' public activities.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, Asef Akhmedov, head of the Ganja Regional Community Center, and Zamin Zyaki, an expert on social issues, were arrested in April 2025 on charges of economic crimes. The arrest of Akhmedov, Zyaki, and other activists was related to the resumption of criminal proceedings against "a number of local and foreign NGOs," which began in 2014. In March, the court sentenced Zamin Zyaki to 7.5 years in prison. The activist did not admit guilt and stated that he was being persecuted for his public activities.

Asef Akhmedov, head of the Ganja Regional Public Center, sent his written response to the indictment to JAMnews. He initially presented this letter to the Ganja Court of Grave Crimes, where his case was transferred in October 2025, the publication reported today.

In his statement, Asef Akhmedov denies all charges. Specifically, he is accused of attempting to conceal a grant agreement with a donor organization by signing a service agreement instead. Akhmedov stated that choosing the type of agreement is his right under national law, the publication states.

Asef Akhmedov also called the accusation of participating in a "criminal group" absurd. He stated that this charge can be refuted by his dire financial situation, specifically the fact that he pawned his wedding rings and has outstanding loans and a mortgage. Akhmedov pointed to the biased approach of the investigation, explaining that despite a thorough review of his family's bank accounts, the investigation failed to reflect his financial difficulties in the indictment.

Asef Akhmedov has been involved in public activities in the Ganja region for many years. He also served as acting director of the secondary school in the village of Institute in the Samukh district. Akhmedov is known for his involvement in local initiatives, social projects, and human rights advocacy. Prior to his arrest, he primarily focused on local community development and social issues through NGO projects, the publication writes.

According to investigators, between 2022 and 2024, Akhmedov illegally transferred at least 105,423 manat (approximately $62,000) in grant funds under the guise of a "service agreement," without properly registering the funds. According to the publication, approximately 700,000 manats (approximately $412,000) were laundered using a similar scheme.

Which member of a criminal group pawns gold and takes out a loan with interest?

"You claim that I, having teamed up with unknown individuals, laundered hundreds of thousands of manats. If such an organized group and such large sums of money exist, why was I forced to pawn my wedding rings to pay for my child's education? What member of a criminal group pawns gold and takes out a loan with interest? This fact completely destroys your fairy tale about an "organized criminal group." To launder property obtained through criminal means, the participants must be aware that the money is of criminal origin. If my goal was to break the law, why did I use an official bank account under direct government monitoring and pay 13,200 manats (approximately $7,800) in taxes? No "No criminal uses accounts under direct government monitoring," the activist is quoted as saying in the publication.

The attempt to criminalize the activities of a public association and activist is a violation of both national legislation and international legal documents to which Azerbaijan has acceded, Akhmedov emphasized.

I do not plead guilty under any article of the Criminal Code.

"Thus, as follows from the indictment, the investigative team biasedly and groundlessly criminalized the essence of my cooperation with an international organization, presenting it as a criminal act, in fact preparing charges capable of damaging Azerbaijan's reputation on the international stage. […] I do not plead guilty under any article of the Criminal Code. As a teacher, I have always been engaged in activities that are beneficial to society. I have contributed to the formation of a new generation of individuals who respect human rights and freedoms, know their rights, and know how to exercise them." "I'm asking you not for mercy, but for justice!" he told the court.

As a reminder, in March 2025, Bashir Suleymanli, head of the Human Rights Institute, and Mammad Mammadzade, head of the Election Observation Alliance, were arrested in Azerbaijan on charges of financial crimes. Subhan Hasanli, head of the Center for Social Rights, was placed on the wanted list on similar charges, and Hafiz Hasanov, head of the Law and Development organization, was placed under house arrest. In April of the same year, four more activists (Ahmed Mammadzade, Aytaj Agazade, Galib Bayramov, and Nargiz Mukhtarova) were charged in connection with the grant-related case, bringing the number of defendants in the case of Western grants to NGOs to 10.

In April 2025, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, speaking at the international forum "Towards a New World Order" in Baku, announced an investigation into the "illegal activities" of USAID in Azerbaijan.

"Our Prosecutor General's Office is currently investigating the illegal activities of USAID. I have been informed about the preliminary investigation. Its results have shown the scale of the organization's anti-Azerbaijani activity, attempts to undermine the work of the government, and clear attempts to interfere in our internal affairs," he said.

In 2024, the number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest level in 23 years of the country's membership in the Council of Europe, according to a report by the "Caucasian Knot" "The main thing about the record number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan". At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the presence of political prisoners in the country.