In Baku, a former diplomat faces stabbing charges and claims political persecution
Arrests in Azerbaijan – former diplomat
In Azerbaijan, former diplomat and activist Emin Ibrahimov has been detained by the police. He is accused of stabbing a person following an argument. Ibrahimov denies the charges, claiming that he is being punished for his critical statements against the authorities.
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Relatives of Emin Ibrahimov reported that on the evening of July 22, he called home and said he was at the Nizami District Police Department in Baku.
“He said he was detained supposedly for stabbing someone. Emin said this is not true,” his relatives noted.
This information was also confirmed by his lawyer, Agil Layij. Ibrahimov told him that the previous evening, near the “Khalglar Dostlugu” metro station, he was attacked by an unknown person. Shortly after, plainclothes individuals appeared, detained Ibrahimov, and took him to the police station.
“At the station, they used a stun gun on Ibrahimov to force him to give up his phone code,” the lawyer reported.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) press service informed Turan News Agency that Ibrahimov had an argument with a person whose name they did not disclose.
“As a result, Emin Ibrahimov inflicted knife injuries on the citizen. Ibrahimov was detained, and the injured person was taken to the hospital,” added the MIA.
A criminal case has been initiated against Emin Ibrahimov under the article “Intentional Infliction of Serious Harm to Health” of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. He faces a prison sentence of three to eight years.
According to representatives of civil society, Emin Ibrahimov may have been framed for his outspoken criticism. The Director of the Institute of Political Management, Azer Gasimli, stated:
“Repressions continue. Today, Emin Ibrahimov, a former diplomat, secretary of the Azerbaijani embassy in the USA, and temporary chargé d’affaires at the embassy in Uruguay, was arrested. Emin Ibrahimov is one of the most honest and decent people in our country. Police representatives are spreading false information. But no one believes them anyway.
Emin Ibrahimov is one of the few honest individuals with the courage to speak openly about what is happening in our country today. The real criminals are those who ordered his punishment, framed him, and arrested him,” Azer Gasimli wrote on social media.
In September of last year, Emin Ibrahimov was sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest. He attributed his arrest to his social media posts. According to the activist, he was punished for his statement that “war is a policy that benefits Russia.”
Emin Ibrahimov graduated from the Faculty of International Relations at Baku State University in 2002. In 2005, he received a master’s degree in International Relations from Ankara University. In 2009, he completed the Senior Course at the NATO Defense College.
From 2007 to 2020, he served in the diplomatic corps. From 2012 to 2016, he worked at the Azerbaijani Embassy in the USA, and from 2016 to 2019, he served in the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission in Uruguay. He later left diplomatic service. In recent years, he has been sharply critical of the Azerbaijani authorities, particularly regarding what he sees as the deterioration of relations with the West.
