Natig Jafarli, chairman of the Republican Alternative Party (REAL), said the absence of an independent judicial system in Azerbaijan has created widespread distrust around the arrests and detentions of political and public figures.
In a statement posted on social media, Jafarli stressed that no one should be imprisoned for their views, ideas, or political activity.
He added that criminal charges must be supported by “rock-solid evidence” and “credible arguments” to withstand public scrutiny.
“I personally do not want to see anyone detained for their political beliefs,” he wrote. “If there is a proven criminal act – that is a separate matter. But the evidence must be convincing. Without that, arrests only deepen suspicion.”
Jafarli reiterated his call for the release of journalists and civil society representatives currently in detention, saying the country needs a healthier political environment.
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According to him, the only meaningful goal is “cleansing the political scene of the toxic legacy of the last 30–35 years” and creating genuine ideological competition.
The REAL chairman also urged the authorities to recognize that suppressing dissent is impossible in the long term:
“No government has ever managed to eliminate opposition thinking – even the Soviet Union couldn’t do that,” he said.
Jafarli argued that the country’s most powerful “opposition” today is not political actors, but the government’s own economic policies, along with widespread social problems and a growing sense of injustice among citizens.
“These issues – economic hardship, social frustration, and lack of fairness – are stronger than any political organization,” he wrote. “Arrests and attempts to silence citizens cannot solve them.”
