Court Hearing Continues in Case Against Human Rights Defender Rufat Safarov

On January 26, another court hearing was held in the criminal case against human rights defender Rufat Safarov, Executive Director of the “Defense Line” human rights organization. The session took place at the Baku Court for Grave Crimes.

According to case materials, the complainant, Natig Imanquliyev, claims he gave Safarov 60,000 AZN to purchase a land plot, which was allegedly neither bought nor refunded. He also alleges that during a dispute on December 3, 2024, he was physically injured. However, during questioning, the complainant was unable to explain the absence of any injuries on Safarov, despite claiming there had been a physical altercation. He also confirmed that he had not undergone a medical examination, raising further questions from the defense regarding the basis of the medical report included in the case file.

Tensions arose in court when defense lawyers questioned the source of the complainant’s funds, noting inconsistencies in his claim that he had paid a total of 120,000 AZN despite describing himself as a manual laborer. The prosecutor objected, calling the question irrelevant, while Safarov criticized the prosecution, describing the case as fabricated.

In his statement to the court, Safarov linked his prosecution to his long-standing human rights work and past resignation from the prosecutor’s office in protest over human rights violations. He stated that he and his family have faced repeated pressure over the past decade because of his activism.

Safarov was detained on December 3, 2024, and is charged with hooliganism, fraud, and intentional infliction of bodily harm. He rejects the accusations and says his arrest is connected to his recent international human rights recognition in the Department of State of the United States.

The trial was adjourned without conclusion. According to local human rights groups, there are currently around 340 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, a claim the authorities deny.