Ali Kerimli's public defenders fear for his safety.
The Public Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Ali Karimli, Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, expressed concern for his safety in pretrial detention after being transferred to a cell with a mentally ill inmate.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on November 29, 2025, State Security Service officers detained Ali Karimli and his advisor, Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the PFPA presidium. Both opposition figures were arrested. Karimli was charged under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (actions aimed at the violent seizure of power or the violent change of the constitutional order of the state). He denied the charges and called his criminal case political persecution. On June 16, in the appeals court, Karimli declared that his rights to make telephone calls were being restricted.
According to his associates, Karimli faced new pressure after France24 published his written interview on June 10. In it, Karimli claims he is being persecuted because of his long-standing opposition activities "against the Aliyev regime" and considers himself a "prisoner of conscience." Karimli also expresses fears for his life in custody, citing the deaths of other political prisoners, and admits the possibility of political assassination if something happens to him.
The deterioration of the detention conditions of Ali Karimli, who has recently been restricted in his rights to make telephone calls and to visit with family, continues, Karimli's defense stated in a statement released on June 23.
According to the defense, Kerimli was transferred to a three-person cell without a television. One of the inmates in the new cell suffers from a mental disorder that manifests itself at night. "This individual loudly and incoherently performs dhikr (rhythmic, repeated repetition of sacred names from the Quran - Caucasian Knot note), completely depriving the others of sleep," the statement reads.
The authors of the statement note that prisoners with mental disorders "by law and medical indications should be held in solitary confinement or specialized medical units under constant medical supervision until they are fully stabilized." "The fact that he is being held in a common cell turns the lives of the others into torture," the committee members stated.
They consider the worsening of Kerimli's situation in the pretrial detention center an "attempt to break the will" of the opposition leader. The defense described Karimli's "physical exhaustion" as the goal at this stage, noting that this could only be the beginning of "larger-scale" pressure.
The authors of the statement recalled that the state is responsible for any threat to Karimli's health and life, calling on responsible officials to ensure healthy conditions for his detention. Caucasian Knot was unable to obtain comment from the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, where Ali Karimli is being held.
Prisoners with psychological problems or other illnesses that could threaten the health of other prisoners should be isolated, a Baku-based lawyer confirmed.
"The pretrial detention facility regime also requires prisoners to maintain silence while they sleep. Measures must be taken against those who fail to comply. If a person, due to mental health issues, genuinely performs rituals at night, they must be isolated from other prisoners so as not to disturb their peace," a lawyer, who did not wish to be named, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.