Defend Rights Committee Formed for Ali Karimli

A committee has been established to defend the rights of imprisoned Chair of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), Ali Karimli, the party announced on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the committee held its first meeting on February 4 and elected historian Jamil Hasanli and human rights defender Leyla Yunus as co-chairs.

The committee’s membership is open to public and political figures both inside Azerbaijan and abroad. During its inaugural session, the body also adopted its first declaration, describing the charges against Karimli as politically motivated.

The statement notes that Ali Karimli was arrested on November 29, 2025, on what the committee calls fabricated accusations. Appeals seeking to replace his pretrial detention with house arrest were rejected by the Sabail District Court. The committee argues that the arrest is part of a long-standing campaign of repression targeting Karimli and his party.

The committee has called on Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release Ali Karimli and APFP member Mammad Ibrahim, to drop all criminal charges against them, and to end what it describes as politically motivated prosecutions more broadly.

In addition, the committee urged the international community to take steps to safeguard democratic processes in Azerbaijan and to advocate for the release of political prisoners.