Human rights activist arrested in Azerbaijan
Rufat Safarov, a well-known human rights activist in Azerbaijan, has been detained on allegations of fraud and hooliganism. Safarov denies the charges, claiming his arrest is linked to his human rights work.
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Rufat Safarov, executive director of the human rights organization “Defence Line,” was detained by police on the evening of December 3. Hours later, it was revealed that he faces charges under Articles 221.1 (hooliganism) and 178.3.2 (fraud causing significant damage) of Azerbaijan’s criminal code.
His lawyer, Elchin Sadygov, confirmed the arrest, stating that investigative actions are underway at the Binagadi District Police Department.
Safarov’s father, Eldar Sabiroglu, reported that plainclothes officers apprehended him near his home around 5 p.m., and his whereabouts remained unknown for several hours. “He was detained without explanation, and his phone is unreachable,” Sabiroglu said.
Family members were unable to contact him for hours. A post on Safarov’s social media account, written by friends on his behalf, described the charges as “baseless, absurd, and fabricated.”
“The accusations are absolute lies and slander, linked to my human rights work. My lawyers will provide further details,” the post stated.
Safarov’s father further claimed that his son’s arrest aimed to prevent him from receiving a human rights award from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “Rufat had just received his visa and was preparing to travel to the U.S. to accept this honor. That’s why they detained him,” Sabiroglu explained.
The Interior Ministry told Voice of America that Safarov’s arrest is connected to a dispute over a land sale, and an investigation is ongoing.
“US concerned over arrests of rights activists”
The United States announced on Wednesday that it is closely monitoring the case of prominent human rights activist Rufat Safarov, who has been detained in Azerbaijan.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of the detention of human rights defender Rufat Safarov in Azerbaijan,” Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, told the Turan news agency.
Patel urged Azerbaijani authorities to “release all unjustly detained individuals and end the crackdown on civil society, including human rights defenders and journalists.”
“It is crucial that human rights defenders worldwide can carry out their work freely and without fear of reprisal,” he added.
Who is Rufat Safarov
Rufat Safarov worked as an investigator for the prosecutor’s office in the Zardab district of Azerbaijan. On December 21, 2015, he submitted his resignation to the General Prosecutor’s Office. Safarov stated that he took this step after his father, Eldar Sabiroglu, a member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, faced moral pressure following his sharp criticism of the head of the Presidential Administration.
On January 15, 2016, the Lankaran Grave Crimes Court sentenced Rufat Safarov to nine years in prison under Article 311.3.2 of the Criminal Code (bribery, committed repeatedly). Detained in the courtroom, Safarov rejected the charges, calling the verdict “absurd and laughable.”
Local and international organizations recognized him as a political prisoner.
He was released in March 2019 under a pardon decree signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Rufat Safarov is now a co-founder of the human rights organization “Defence Line,” established in 2020.
“Defence Line” was created to assist in the protection and support of human rights and to promote the rule of law in Azerbaijan.
Human rights activist arrested in Azerbaijan