A French court has sentenced 43-year-old Azerbaijani citizen Khayyam Hagverdiyev to 10 years in prison for plotting to assassinate political blogger Mohammad Mirzali, who lives in exile in Nantes, France.
Mirzali, known for his fierce criticism of the Azerbaijani government, was previously stabbed in March 2021 in the center of Nantes. In another reported incident in 2022, Hagverdiyev was caught carrying a GPS device with Mirzali’s home address, as well as a gun, knife, and dagger. He was arrested near the town of Angers.
French media described the attack as premeditated and politically motivated. Journalist Afgan Mukhtarli said six assailants had “savagely butchered” Mirzali—leaving deep wounds on his neck, stomach, arms, and fingers.
Mirzali reacted to the verdict, writing:
“Justice has proven once again—no one who attempts to kill a blogger will go unpunished.”
This is not the first case of violence against exiled Azerbaijani activists. Political dissident Vidadi Isgenderli was stabbed to death abroad, and others like Qabil Mammadov and Orkhan Aghayev have also faced physical attacks.
Despite surviving multiple assassination attempts, Mirzali now faces legal action from Azerbaijani authorities. On June 3, the Binagadi District Court issued an arrest warrant in absentia against him.
He is charged under:
- Article 220.2 – for allegedly inciting mass unrest and resistance to law enforcement
- Article 281.1 – for making alleged public calls to overthrow the constitutional order and promote territorial disintegration.
Observers consider these charges politically motivated retaliation against a vocal government criti
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