On October 14, upon the presentation of the State Security Service (SSS), the Sabail District Court decided to apply a 4-month house arrest preventive measure against Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the Presidential Administration.
Ramiz Mehdiyev is accused under Articles 278.1, 274, and 193-1.3.2 of the Criminal Code, and the duration of the chosen preventive measure will expire on February 13, 2026.
On October 31, upon the presentation of the Prosecutor General's Office, the Sabail District Court decided to apply a 3-month and 13-day detention preventive measure against Vuqar Mammadov (Tofigoglu), editor-in-chief of the "Hurriyet" newspaper, Hurriyyet.az website, and "Hurriyyet TV". Vuqar Mammadov was detained two days earlier during an operation carried out by the SSS; therefore, the detention period is counted from October 29 and will end on February 13, 2026.
Vuqar Mammadov is charged under Article 182.2.4 of the Criminal Code.
On December 1, upon the presentation of the SSS, the Sabail District Court decided to apply a 2-month and 15-day detention preventive measure against AXCP chairman Ali Karimli and his advisor Mammad Ibrahim. Both persons were detained during an operation by the SSS on November 29. Since the detention period is counted from that date, it will expire on February 13, 2026.
Ali Karimli and Mammad Ibrahim are charged under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code.
Medianews.az reports that neither the criminal case initiated against Ramiz Mehdiyev himself nor the chosen house arrest measure nor the other cases or arrests have been officially announced. However, media reports have emphasized that the arrests of Vuqar Mammadov, Ali Karimli, and Mammad Ibrahim are related to the Ramiz Mehdiyev case.
Although not officially declared yet, the coincidence of the detention terms for Vuqar Mammadov, Ali Karimli, and Mammad Ibrahim with the expiration date of the house arrest for Ramiz Mehdiyev on the same day can be taken as an argument confirming that the arrests are being conducted within the framework of the same criminal investigation. It is also possible to add to the arguments that all three individuals were detained during the SSS operation and are held in the investigative detention center of this agency.
There are other arguments as well. According to information spread by relatives, when the prosecution submitted its presentation to the court regarding the detention preventive measure for Vuqar Mammadov, it was indicated that the matter was related to the Ramiz Mehdiyev case.
Statements from persons close to Ali Karimli and Mammad Ibrahim (some of whom were interrogated by the SSS as witnesses) have also pointed out that the arrests are linked to the Ramiz Mehdiyev case.
The media has also reported that Eldar Amirov, the former head of the Secretariat of the National Academy of Sciences and a former employee of the Presidential Administration, was detained due to the Ramiz Mehdiyev case. The news about Eldar Amirov's detention was published on November 3. The news did not specify under which article of the Criminal Code he is charged or which investigative authority’s presentation resulted in his detention; it only emphasized that the Sabail District Court decided on a 4-month detention preventive measure. It is unclear when exactly Eldar Amirov was detained and whether the court decision was issued on the day the news was published or earlier. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the exact date in 2026 when his detention preventive measure will expire. There is also no information about which detention facility Eldar Amirov is currently held in.
Thus, based on the media reports, it can be stated that in total four individuals (Vuqar Mammadov, Ali Karimli, Mammad Ibrahim, Eldar Amirov) have been arrested due to the Ramiz Mehdiyev case, and for three of the arrests, arguments confirming their connection to this case can be cited from open sources.
Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code concerns acts aimed at forcibly seizing or forcibly maintaining power in violation of the Constitution of Azerbaijan, as well as forcibly changing the constitutional order of the state. Such acts are punishable by imprisonment of 12 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
Article 274 deals with treason against the state. Treason, i.e., an act intentionally committed by a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan that harms Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, state security, or defense capacity: switching sides to the enemy, espionage, giving state secrets to a foreign state, conducting hostile activities against the Republic of Azerbaijan, assisting a foreign state, organization, or their representatives - is punishable by imprisonment of 12 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
Article 193-1 concerns legalization of property obtained by criminal means. Under clause 3.2 of this article, i.e., Article 193-1.3.2, a person who commits the same act involving a considerable amount (considered to be amounts exceeding 50,000 manat) is punished with imprisonment from 7 to 12 years with or without deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to 3 years.
Article 182 concerns extortion by threat. Under clause 2.4, i.e., Article 182.2.4, extortion by threat to obtain a considerable amount of property, including exercising force over the victim or their close relatives, threatening to spread defamatory information about them or destroy their property, to demand someone else’s property or property rights or other property-related acts, is punishable by imprisonment of 5 to 10 years.
Togrul Ali,
Medianews.az
