On July 11, a preliminary hearing was held at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes in the criminal case against Azerbaijani blogger and activist Qabil Mammadov, who currently lives in exile. The session, presided over by Judge Elnur Nuriyev, focused on verifying the defendant’s personal details. The main trial hearing has been scheduled for July 16.
Qabil Mammadov is facing an extensive set of charges under 24 separate articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code. The case was initiated by the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to the authorities, on July 17, 2023, Mammadov was officially charged in absentia with multiple grave criminal offenses, including:
- Fraud (Articles 178.2.2 and 178.2.4),
- Extortion (Articles 182.2.1 and 182.2.4),
- Terrorism and terrorist financing (Articles 214.2.1, 214.2.2, 214.2.3, 214-1, and 214-2),
- Inciting public disorder and disobedience (Article 233),
- Violence against officials (Article 315),
- Property damage and torture (Articles 186.2.1, 186.2.2, 127.2.1),
among others — many of which are considered politically motivated by local and international observers.
Since Qabil Mammadov resides outside Azerbaijan, the charges were issued in absentia. In January 2024, the Binagadi District Court ruled for his arrest in absentia as well.
The legal process against Mammadov is widely seen as part of the Azerbaijani government’s ongoing crackdown on dissent and independent voices. His activism and sharp criticism of the regime have made him a frequent target of judicial and digital repression.
Human rights defenders have called on international organizations to monitor this case closely, highlighting the use of the judiciary to silence exiled opposition figures.
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