Authorities in Azerbaijan have reported the death of 22-year-old activist Elbey Kerimli, who was serving a prison sentence on drug-related charges. Information about his death became public on December 13.
The official cause of death has not been disclosed as of publication.
Kerimli was arrested in August 2023, shortly after an incident in central Baku in which the word “Stalin” was written on a statue of former Azerbaijani leader Heydar Aliyev near the Central Bank. According to his lawyer, the arrest followed soon after the incident.
Criminal charges related to illegal drug possession were subsequently brought against him.
In April 2024, the Baku Serious Crimes Court sentenced Kerimli to six years in prison under an article involving possession of a large quantity of narcotics with intent to distribute. In June 2024, the Baku Court of Appeal reclassified the charge to possession without intent to distribute and reduced the sentence to five years.
Kerimli rejected the accusations in court, stating that the drugs had been planted on him following the monument incident. His lawyer, Nemat Kerimli, repeatedly argued that the case was politically motivated and called for his client’s full acquittal. The defense also announced plans to appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court.
Developments in 2025
Reports concerning Kerimli continued to draw public attention throughout 2025.
On May 23, 2025, Kerimli’s family reported that he had begun a hunger strike while in detention, protesting what he described as his wrongful and politically motivated imprisonment.
On July 13, 2025, the newspaper Azadliq reported that Kerimli had been placed in solitary confinement. According to the publication, this followed a speech he delivered during an event inside the correctional facility attended by representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Penitentiary Service, where he reiterated claims that his arrest was politically motivated and based on false charges.
The report also alleged that Kerimli was subjected to physical force before being placed in isolation. No official confirmation or comment was provided by state authorities regarding these claims.
Context
Lawyers and representatives of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP), of which Kerimli was considered a member, have consistently stated that his case was politically motivated. Azerbaijani authorities, for their part, deny the existence of political prisoners in the country and dismiss such allegations as unfounded.
According to AXCP, Kerimli’s whereabouts were unknown for nearly two months after his arrest. It was later confirmed that he was being held at Baku Detention Facility No. 1.
Following reports of his death, questions regarding the circumstances have circulated in public discourse and on social media, with calls for clarification. As of publication, no official investigative findings or medical conclusions have been released.
Azerbaijan.US is prepared to publish the official position of relevant authorities should it become available.
