Under the “First State Program on the Great Return to the Liberated Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the construction of the “Imarat” stadium is planned in the city of Aghdam in 2026. A land plot of 19.2 hectares has been allocated for the project.

The stadium is expected to meet UEFA Category 4 standards and have a seating capacity of 11,700 spectators.

According to a statement released by the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), Alikhan Rajabli, a member of the party’s Masalli district branch, was detained by the Masalli District Police Department. A court has ordered a pretrial detention measure against him for a period of three months.

Rapper Elshad Khose posted a critical video several days ago regarding the demolition works carried out in the Bayirshahar area. In the video, he expressed his objection to demolitions taking place in Baku.

Following this, Elshad Khose was taken from his home by police officers to Police Station No. 27 of the Yasamal District. The police stated that on the same day, the rapper allegedly used offensive language in a public place near the Nizami metro station. According to the claim, despite being warned by police officers to comply with public order, his behavior did not change, and he was subsequently detained and taken to the police station.

On December 23, President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the Hilton Garden Inn Aghdam hotel in the city of Aghdam. This marks the second hotel project in the region implemented by companies linked to the President’s family.

The hotel complex covers more than two hectares and consists of three blocks with 2, 6, and 7 floors. It includes 127 rooms with a total capacity of 287 beds. The infrastructure features a restaurant, public catering areas, conference and event halls, banquet facilities, an indoor swimming pool, and a fitness center.

Part of the global Hilton brand portfolio, the Hilton Garden Inn Aghdam project was developed by TABIA Group and represents the second hotel opened in Aghdam following the earlier launch of the Aghdam City Hotel.

On December 26, the Baku Serious Crimes Court held a final hearing in the criminal case against a group of bloggers living abroad. The session was presided over by Judge Huseyn Huseynli.

Under the in absentia verdict, lawyer and blogger Gurban Mammadov was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Other bloggers — Tural Sadigly, Suleyman Suleymanli, Ordukhan Babirov (Teymurkhan), Orkhan Agayev, Rafael Piriyev, and Elshad Mammadov — were each sentenced to nine years of imprisonment.

On December 22, the Baku Serious Crimes Court held another hearing in the case involving individuals arrested in the so-called “Meydan TV case.” The session was presided over by Judge Ayten Aliyeva.

During the hearing, it was announced that the State Tax Service had filed a civil claim against the defendants in the amount of 79,589 manats. The agency was represented in court by Fatima Ahmadova.

Defense lawyers requested permission for audio and video recording, citing the public interest of the case. The court rejected the motion, stating that media representatives were free to attend and take notes.

See Breeze Construction LLC has signed direct procurement contracts with the Restoration, Construction, and Management Service in the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavend districts without holding competitive tenders. The total value of the construction projects awarded to this company exceeds AZN 111.9 million. This approach raises serious questions regarding the limitation of competitive mechanisms in public procurement.

Under one of the contracts, the company will carry out the construction of individual residential houses and engineering communication systems in Eyvazkhanbeyli village of the Aghdam district, receiving AZN 61.7 million in return. Another contract covers the construction of residential buildings and social facilities—including a school, kindergarten, medical center, and additional infrastructure—in Pirahmadli village of the Fuzuli district. The value of this project amounts to AZN 50.2 million.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) strongly condemn the Azerbaijani authorities’ misuse of national security provisions as instruments of judicial harassment and the criminalisation of freedom of expression, peace advocacy, and public criticism.

MEPs call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Bahruz Samadov, a PhD student at Charles University, and Igbal Abilov, a researcher from the Talysh ethnic minority and editor-in-chief of Talysh National Academy News. They also denounce the unjust and arbitrary sentencing of two other academics, Gubad Ibadoghlu and Fazil Gasimov, and condemn in the strongest possible terms the arrest of prominent opposition leader Ali Karimli on 1 December 2025.

The Turkish construction company Arenol Group has alleged that payments due for its work in Karabakh were embezzled, its factories in Azerbaijan were seized, and its director subjected to threats. These claims were made by Tolga Şahin, Director of Arenol Group, in a public video appeal addressed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which has since circulated widely on social media.

In his appeal, Şahin states that Arenol Group was invited to participate in construction and reconstruction projects in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories of Karabakh. According to him, the company received project orders—funded from the Azerbaijani state budget—through entities such as “Baku Abadlıq” and other affiliated contractors.

By the decree of President Ilham Aliyev, Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Teymur Mehdiyev has been relieved of his duties. Teymur Mehdiyev is the son of former Head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, against whom a criminal case was opened on October 14.