Opposition Leader Ali Karimli Faces Trial on 'Attempted Coup' Charges in Azerbaijan
Ali Karimli, a prominent Azerbaijani opposition figure, will stand trial on June 10 on charges of attempted coup under Article 278-1 of the criminal code, facing 12-20 years in prison if convicted. Karimli, imprisoned since December 1, 2025, has dismissed the charges as politically motivated fabrications and describes himself as a prisoner of conscience. The case reflects decades of tension between Karimli's democratic opposition movement and President Ilham Aliyev's authoritarian regime.
Ali Karimli, a leading figure in Azerbaijan's democratic opposition and former secretary of state, will go on trial in Baku on June 10 facing charges of attempted coup. His legal team states he could receive 12 to 20 years in prison if convicted. Karimli has been held in a high-security detention center run by the State Security Service since December 1, 2025. He categorically denies the charges, stating they are entirely fabricated and politically motivated, and emphasizes he has worked exclusively through peaceful means to promote democracy and freedom of expression. For over three decades, Karimli has been a prominent critic of President Ilham Aliyev's authoritarian rule, leading major opposition protests and helping to build the Popular Front Party and National Council as organized democratic opposition coalitions. In his interview with France 24, Karimli expressed concerns about his safety in custody, citing suspicious deaths of other political prisoners and noting that any threat to his life would necessarily come from the highest political level given Azerbaijan's rigid hierarchical system.
What's missing
The specific allegations or evidence cited in the prosecution's case file against Karimli are not detailed in the article. Additionally, the government's official position or response to the charges and Karimli's claims is absent.
What different sources said
- France 24Center
'I am a prisoner of conscience': Ali Karimli, the opposition figure defying Azerbaijan’s regime
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