Former Leader of Azerbaijani "Yuxəliş" Party Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison

The Baku Grave Crimes Court has sentenced Anar Asadli, the former chairman of the dissolved "Yuxəliş" (Ascent) Party, to four years and six months in prison on charges of large-scale fraud.

The verdict was announced on Friday, May 22, at a court session presided over by Judge Elnur Nuriyev.

The state prosecutor had requested a seven-year prison sentence for the defendant in a general-regime penal colony. The opposition politician himself pleaded not guilty, characterizing the criminal prosecution as a politically motivated targeted setup.

Civil Debt or Fraud?

Four individuals have been recognized as victims in this case. Among them are Oqtay Gasimov, former assistant to the ex-President of Azerbaijan Abulfaz Elchibey, and Ilham Huseynov, former head of the Executive Power of the Zangilan District.

The victims stated in court that they agreed with the punishment proposed by the prosecutor, as Asadli had failed to return their money.

The defense insisted on a full acquittal of the defendant. Defense attorney Rasul Jafarov stated that his client did not commit fraud but had merely borrowed money from the victims, which falls under the scope of civil law relations and cannot serve as grounds for criminal prosecution.

In his final statement, Anar Asadli once again rejected all allegations.

"People with whom I interacted for years come and testify against me," he said, adding that the case was reopened immediately after he attempted to show political activity.

Dismissal of the Case and Rearrest

The criminal prosecution of the opposition figure was accompanied by a prolonged process of arrests and releases. The politician was first detained on charges of large-scale fraud in April 2023; however, by July of the same year, following the announcement of his party's self-liquidation, his preventive measure was changed to house arrest.

In October 2023, the criminal case against Anar Asadli was fully dismissed due to the absence of a crime (corpus delicti). Subsequently, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan overturned this decision and sent the case materials for a reinvestigation. On October 24, 2025, the court remanded the politician in custody once again following a petition by the victims, who claimed that the incurred damages had still not been compensated.

In the past, Anar Asadli served as an authorized representative of the late former President of Azerbaijan, Abulfaz Elchibey. In December 2020, he took charge of the newly established "Yuxəliş" Party, which received official state registration in October 2021.

The organization announced the termination of its activities in June 2023, while its leader was already in custody.