BAKU, June 12 – An Azerbaijani court has handed down an eight-year prison sentence to a well-known rights activist following his conviction on charges of hooliganism and fraud, in what his attorney characterizes as a politically driven prosecution.
Rufat Safarov, the activist in question, previously worked as a prosecutor and currently leads the advocacy organization Defense Line. His background includes a three-year imprisonment for bribery charges before receiving a presidential pardon from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in 2019.
Attorney Rovshana Rahimova, representing Safarov, informed Reuters of her disagreement with the court’s decision and confirmed plans to file an appeal.
The oil-rich nation has faced mounting Western condemnation regarding its treatment of human rights following multiple detentions of independent media figures and political opposition members in recent times.
Azerbaijani officials dismiss such criticism and characterize Western diplomatic demands for prisoner releases as unwarranted meddling in their country’s legal proceedings.
