Tofig Yagublu

Tofig Yagublu is a prominent opposition politician who, after 15 months in pre-trial detention, was sentenced to nine years in prison as a result of his criticism of the government of Azerbaijan.

Yagublu is a member of the Musavat Party and the opposition coalition, the National Council of Democratic Forces. For over a decade, he has been targeted by Azerbaijani authorities for his vocal criticism of government corruption and human rights abuses, facing repeated arrests, surveillance, and ill-treatment.

On December 14, 2023, authorities detained Yagublu in Baku and searched his home, allegedly discovering large sums of cash. He was charged with fraud and document forgery, accused of producing fake documents to support an asylum application. Yagublu denies the charges, asserting they are politically motivated. He was held in pre-trial detention until March 10, 2025, when the Baku Court of Serious Crimes sentenced him to nine years in prison following a trial marked by procedural violations.

While imprisoned, Yagublu undertook a 40-day hunger strike to protest his detention, which severely worsened his already fragile health, including chronic asthma. His family and personal physician have requested specialized medical care, but the authorities continue to deny adequate treatment or house arrest.

Yagublu’s imprisonment is part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Azerbaijan. He has previously been arrested on politically motivated charges, and the European Court of Human Rights has ruled in multiple cases that his rights were violated. His case has been condemned by multiple human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.