Jailed Azerbaijan critic calls on Aliyev to halt media prosecutions

Akif Qurbanov

An imprisoned Azerbaijani activist has appealed directly to President Ilham Aliyev from pre-trial detention, urging the leader to end the prosecutions of independent journalists and civil society workers.

Akif Qurbanov, the head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI) and a leading figure in the Third Republic Platform opposition group, challenged the president to hold him solely responsible for any alleged infractions rather than targeting subordinates.

"I appeal to President Aliyev to stop punishing individuals who have no decision-making or financial authority," Mr Qurbanov said in an interview published by the independent outlet Toplum TV on Friday.

"If you still believe that these organisations must be punished, then that person should be the one who made the decisions and bears the responsibility. That person is me."

Mr Qurbanov was arrested alongside several journalists and civic activists in March 2024 during a police raid on the offices of Toplum TV, an independent internet television channel, and the IDI. Those detained face charges including smuggling and tax evasion, which they deny as politically motivated.

Describing the legal proceedings against him as a "pseudo-trial", Mr Qurbanov stated that Azerbaijani courts lack independence and exist to demonstrate loyalty to what he termed the country's "one-man regime".

The activist also addressed the geopolitical context surrounding Azerbaijan, following a high-profile visit to Baku by US Vice-President JD Vance in February, during which Washington signed a strategic partnership charter with Azerbaijan.

Mr Qurbanov said Western governments naturally prioritised their own strategic and economic interests, such as peace negotiations with Armenia and energy transit, over human rights. He urged the Azerbaijani opposition to build genuine domestic support rather than relying solely on foreign pressure.

Referring to the decision by Azerbaijan's parliament, the Milli Majlis, to suspend all ties with the European Parliament, Mr Qurbanov argued the move showed that Baku's foreign policy was erratic and driven by personal reactions.

"It demonstrates once again that the government's policy is not institutional or strategic, but is based on the emotional mood of one person," he said, adding that isolating Baku from European institutions would harm its international image.

Mr Qurbanov concluded his remarks by urging fragmented opposition and civil society groups to move past historical divisions and form a unified democratic movement.

"Our country's salvation and the preservation of our dignity depend on our resistance and our ability to co-operate correctly with one another," he said.