Azerbaijani Police Raid Opposition Leader’s Home Amid Expanding Coup Attempt Investigation

Azerbaijani police on Saturday searched the home of Ali Karimli, a prominent opposition figure and leader of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party (APFP), as authorities expand their investigation into a suspected attempt to overthrow President Ilham Aliyev.

A government source told Reuters that the search was connected to an ongoing criminal case involving Ramiz Mehdiyev, a longtime ally of former President Heydar Aliyev, who led Azerbaijan until shortly before his death in 2003. Karimli has led the APFP since 2000.

According to APFP deputy Seymur Hazi, party members Fakhraddin Amirli and Mammad Ibrahim were also detained on Saturday. Reuters was unable to immediately reach lawyers representing the three individuals.

The State Security Service has not commented on the raid. The government source said investigators believe Mehdiyev had been financing Karimli. Mehdiyev joined Heydar Aliyev’s administration in 1994 as head of the presidential administration and remained influential for decades. Ilham Aliyev, Heydar’s son, dismissed him in 2019—widely seen as a move to remove holdovers from his father’s era.

Last month, a Baku court placed the 87-year-old Mehdiyev under four months of house arrest on charges that include attempting to seize power.

Karimli, one of Azerbaijan’s most vocal opposition figures, has been detained several times over protests he has organized. Azerbaijan, a country rich in oil and gas, has frequently faced criticism from Western governments over its human rights record.