In Azerbaijan, a senior lawmaker closely aligned with the ruling political establishment has called for the suspension – and possible dissolution – of one of the country’s largest opposition parties, the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP), after criminal charges were filed against its chairman Ali Karimli under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code.
The article concerns allegations of “seizing power by force or maintaining power by force, or violently altering the constitutional order.”
The State Security Service (DTX) confirmed that it carried out a search at Karimli’s residence as part of what officials describe as the ongoing “Ramiz Mehdiyev case.”
Authorities claim the materials obtained link Karimli to the former long-serving head of the Presidential Administration, alleging coordinated political activity dating back more than a decade. Karimli and AXCP have not yet issued a public response to the latest accusations.
Speaking to Xəbərsiz, MP Elman Nasirov – widely viewed by analysts and civil society observers as a consistent defender of government positions – described Mehdiyev as “a political conductor” and Karimli as “the first violinist” in an alleged political network.
Nasirov further asserted that Karimli maintained close ties with the so-called “Union of Azerbaijani Organizations in Russia,” also known as the “Union of Billionaires,” and that this network helped finance the National Council of Democratic Forces formed in 2013 – claims long disputed by the opposition.
Nasirov argued that the latest charges raise broader questions about whether AXCP should remain part of the country’s political system.
“If a party leader is accused of attempting to seize power by force, then the party that set the ideological direction for this process has no basis to exist within Azerbaijan’s political space,” he said, adding that suspending the party would, in his view, reflect both “state policy and public demand.”
The MP also referred to recent developments involving other opposition figures, including the reported deportation of Gultekin Hajibeyli from Turkey to Baku and the imposition of travel restrictions on National Council chairman Jamil Hasanli.
International context
Observers abroad, including human-rights monitors and democracy watchdogs, have expressed concern that the unfolding case could signal further pressure on what remains of Azerbaijan’s already restricted political opposition space. Several international organizations have noted that the country’s political environment has narrowed considerably over the past decade, with legal actions against opposition leaders often regarded by critics as politically motivated.
While the government insists that charges under Article 278.1 relate strictly to national security and constitutional order, international partners are watching the situation closely, citing the need to safeguard political pluralism and protect civic freedoms.
Under Azerbaijani law, Article 278.1 carries penalties ranging from 12 to 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment, for attempts to seize power or alter the constitutional system by force.
