This week in Azerbaijan, Armenian civil society representatives paid a rare visit to Baku as part of ongoing dialogue efforts, new legal motions were filed in the case against activist Anar Mammadli and his colleague Anar Abdulla, and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence against jailed civic activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev.
Armenian civil society representatives travel to Baku in reciprocal peace dialogue visit
On November 21, a group of Armenian civil society representatives arrived in Baku, marking a reciprocal step following the visit of an Azerbaijani delegation to Yerevan on October 21 and 22.
The meetings form part of the peace agenda outlined in the Joint Statement signed in Washington on August 8, 2025, by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the United States.
At the earlier October meeting in Yerevan, which was held with the participation of Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan, NGOs from both countries discussed post-conflict regional cooperation and the next steps in advancing the peace process.
The Washington Joint Statement, reached nearly two years after Azerbaijan restored full control over its territory following the 2020 war and the 2023 one day operation, included commitments to mutual recognition of territorial integrity, withdrawal of claims, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The agreement also endorsed the route known as TRIPP, a transit corridor connecting mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan through Armenia, to be implemented under Armenian sovereignty and jurisdiction.
New motions filed in trial of activists Anar Mammadli and Anar Abdulla
On November 17, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes held another hearing in the joint criminal case of public activist Anar Abdulla and Anar Mammadli, head of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center, EMDS SMDT. Judge Aygun Gurbanova presided.
Mammadli’s lawyer, Javad Javadli, submitted a petition requesting that the court formally obtain several documents from the Azerbaijani government’s representative to the European Court of Human Rights, ECHR. According to the defense, these materials directly undermine both the factual and legal basis of the charges and demonstrate their lack of legitimacy.
Javadli reminded the court that the ECHR’s 2018 ruling deemed Mammadli’s previous imprisonment unlawful. That conviction has never been reversed, and the lawyer argued that this unremoved conviction status is now being improperly used as an aggravating factor in the current case.
He also referenced the ECHR’s January 12, 2023 decision, which found the non-registration of SMDT to be arbitrary and a violation of freedom of association under Article 11 of the European Convention. Rather than remedying the violation, Javadli noted that authorities are citing the organization’s continued unregistered status as evidence against Mammadli.
During the hearing, activist Anar Abdulla delivered a statement and answered questions from the prosecutor. The next session is scheduled for December 8 and will continue with witness testimonies.
Supreme Court upholds sentence against civic activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev
On November 18, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan considered the cassation appeal of prominent civic activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. Judge Alasgar Novruzov presided, and the court ultimately upheld the appellate ruling, leaving Hajiyev’s conviction in force.
Hajiyev was arrested on December 9, 2022, and in January 2025 he was sentenced by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes to 10 years in prison. He was convicted on charges including smuggling foreign currency, money laundering, and tax evasion, accusations he vehemently denies.
Earlier in the process, he had also faced charges of hooliganism, Article 221.2.2, and contempt of court, Article 289.1. In his final statement before sentencing, Hajiyev described all charges as fabricated and politically motivated, asserting that the case was ordered by high-level officials.
Rights organizations argue that the Supreme Court’s decision reinforces concerns about systemic pressure on government critics and the continued use of criminal proceedings as a tool against independent civic activists.
