Azerbaijani activist Akhmedov sentenced to lengthy prison term

A court in Ganja sentenced Azerbaijani activist Asef Akhmedov to eight years in prison in a case involving Western grants to NGOs. In his final statement, Akhmedov denied the charges and claimed the case was falsified.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, Asef Akhmedov, head of the Ganja Regional Community Center, and social expert Zamin Zyaki 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" that began in 2014. In March, the court sentenced Zamin Zyaki to 7.5 years in prison. The activist pleaded not guilty and claimed he was being persecuted for his public activities. In May, Akhmedov told the court that investigators were trying to criminalize public activity.

On June 17, the Ganja Court of Grave Crimes sentenced Asef Akhmedov to eight years in prison, activist Abulfaz Gurbanli, who was observing the trial, told a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

According to him, in his final statement, Akhmedov denied all charges.

“I am a historian, so what is happening in this room is very familiar to me. Everything I once read about in books is happening to me today. The trials taking place in this room and the materials before you clearly show you, me, and the prosecutor himself what is really happening. There is no crime here. This is an attempt "to silence a person who wants to do something for civil society," Gurbanly quoted the defendant as saying.

According to Gurbanly, Akhmedov recalled in his speech that "Socrates was once also tried and convicted simply for thinking differently."

“Huseyn Javid 1 and dozens of our intellectuals were also tried on similar trumped-up charges, simply for their thoughts. Investigators and prosecutors of that era believed they had won, but history has not forgiven those decisions. Justice, albeit belatedly, always finds its place – and will find it again,” Gurbanli quoted Akhmedov’s subsequent speech.

The activist noted that Akhmedov, as head of the Ganja Community Regional Center, carried out educational activities and participated in the implementation of social projects.

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

An employee of the Ganja Court of Grave Crimes confirmed to the Caucasian Knot that Akhmedov had been sentenced. Representatives of the prosecution were unavailable for comment.

Earlier, the Union for Freedom of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan recognized Asef Akhmedov as a political prisoner. The Caucasian Knot also reported that in March 2025, Bashir Suleymanli, head of the Human Rights Institute, and Mammad Mammadzade, head of the Election Monitoring Alliance, were arrested in Azerbaijan on charges of financial crimes. Subhan Hasanli, head of the Social Rights Center, was placed on a wanted list on similar charges, and Hafiz Hasanov, head of the Law and Development organization, was placed under house arrest.

In April of that year, four more activists (Ahmed Mammadzade, Aytaj Agazade, Galib Bayramov, and Nargiz Mukhtarova) were charged in connection with the grants case, bringing the number of defendants in the Western grants case to 10. NGOs