Lawyer Namizad Safarov has been detained in Azerbaijan

Lawyer, human rights activist, and former attorney Namizad Safarov, known for his civic activism, has been detained in Azerbaijan. Pro-government media have named Safarov as a fraud suspect. 

 Namizad Safarov was detained on the afternoon of December 9, his relatives told a Caucasian Knot correspondent . "Namizad Safarov was detained by civilians and taken to an unknown location," his relative said. 

The pro-government news agency APA confirmed Safarov's detention, citing its own sources. "Preliminary reports indicate that his (Namizad Safarov's) detention was prompted by complaints of fraud," the agency wrote.

A "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was unable to obtain comments from the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding Safarov's detention.

Namizad Safarov is known for his active civic stance, social work, and human rights advocacy. He worked as a lawyer since the early 1990s, but was expelled from the Bar Association in 2005. Safarov attributed this decision to his criticism of the Bar Association's leadership.

Before the abolition of the institution of representation in Azerbaijan in 2017, Safarov served as a defense attorney in civil court cases. At the same time, Safarov was engaged in socio-political activities: in 2013, he participated in the creation of the National Council of Democratic Forces.

In 2019, following a traffic accident involving human rights activist Ogtay Gyulalyev and his serious injury, Safarov served as the temporary coordinator of the Committee Against Repression and Torture, which has since ceased operations. Safarov was also a co-founder of the NGO "Azerbaijan Lawyers' Forum," which the authorities denied registration.

In 2024, Namizad Safarov became a member of the "Azerbaijani People's Parliament," created by political émigrés abroad. As a legal expert, Safarov commented on various issues related to government policy and the protection of citizens' rights for the media, including the "Caucasian Knot."

Information about the persecution of activists in the Caucasus regions is published by the "Caucasian Knot" on its " Persecution of Activists " page . The "Caucasian Knot" also prepared a report entitled " Persecution of Human Rights Defenders and Civil Activists in Azerbaijan ."