Vidadi Isganderli, an Azerbaijani political activist living in exile in France, died on the morning of October 1, two days after being brutally stabbed by unknown assailants in his home in Mulhouse.
His family confirmed the news to Meydan TV.
The attack took place on September 29, when three masked men entered Isganderli’s residence through a window. According to his brother, Ogtay Isganderli, the attackers restrained Vidadi and repeatedly stabbed him in the abdomen, face, and forehead before fleeing after he screamed for help.
Isganderli, who had been in intensive care for two days, succumbed to his injuries despite efforts to save his life. The activist, who fled Azerbaijan in 2018, was a vocal critic of the Azerbaijani government and had previously been imprisoned for his human rights work and political dissent.
In 2010, he was sentenced to three years in prison for disrupting the parliamentary election process, a case in which Amnesty International declared him a “prisoner of conscience.” Following his release, he continued to criticize Azerbaijani officials online, often using harsh language against government leaders, including the president and his family.
Isganderli’s exile in France did not shield him from threats, as his family’s graves were desecrated in Azerbaijan after his outspoken online activism.
The Azerbaijani government has consistently denied persecuting individuals for political reasons. The investigation into Isganderli’s death and the motives behind the attack remains ongoing.
