Appeals Court Upholds Arrest of Mammad Ibrahim

Mammad Ibrahim

On December 8, the Baku Court of Appeal (BCA) dismissed the appeal against the arrest of Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the presidium of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP).

The party believes that this decision "has no legal basis" and is "the execution of a political order."

"During the consideration of the appeal, the building of the Baku Court of Appeal was surrounded by police, and people who came to support Mammad Ibrahim were removed from the territory with the use of force. The APFP declares that the decision of the Appeals Court regarding Mammad Ibrahim is based not on law, but on a political order. Therefore, the APFP condemns this decision and demands the immediate release of APFP Chairman Ali Karimli, Mammad Ibrahim, and all other political prisoners," the APFP statement further said.

The party also condemned the "repeated use of police against people who came to the court," as was the case during the consideration of Ali Karimli's appeal.

The APFP called on the authorities "not to turn law enforcement agencies into an instrument of political repression."

"Despite all the difficulties for political, social, and human rights activities in Azerbaijan, the APFP will continue the struggle for the defense of all political prisoners in the country, led by Ali Karimli," the statement further reads.

On November 29, State Security Service officers detained the leader of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) Ali Karimli and his advisor, APFP presidium member Mammad Ibrahim, following searches. They were accused of committing actions aimed at the violent seizure of power. The party called the detentions politically motivated, viewing them as an attempt by the authorities "to destroy the last independent political force in Azerbaijan." On December 1, the court remanded both of them into custody for a period of 2.5 months. On December 5, the Appeals Court upheld Karimli's detention.