Prominent Azerbaijani human rights defender Rufat Safarov has been ordered to serve four months in pre-trial detention, raising new concerns about civil society restrictions in post-COP29 Azerbaijan. 

During court proceedings, Safarov strongly contested the charges, characterising his arrest as politically motivated retaliation for his human rights work. Of particular significance, Safarov revealed the timing of his arrest coincided with his planned travel to the United States to receive a prestigious human rights award. 

The Binagadi District Court issued the detention order on December 4, rejecting defence lawyers' requests for house arrest. "We filed a petition for house arrest. The court did not grant the petition. We will appeal this decision," defence lawyer Elchin Sadigov told reporters after the hearing.

The prosecution has built a complex case against Safarov, initially charging him under Articles 178.3.2 (fraud involving significant damage) and 221.1 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code. In a subsequent development, prosecutors added a third charge under Article 127.2.3, alleging intentional infliction of less severe bodily harm, supported by what they claim is expert testimony documenting injuries on the complainant.

Safarov's father, Eldar Sabiroglu, reported that his son was detained in front of their house on the evening of December 3 and initially taken to an undisclosed location. While the Ministry of Internal Affairs claims the arrest relates to a dispute over a land transaction, Safarov's family vehemently disputes this narrative. 

His mother, Tahira Tahirqizi, provided context in an interview with RFE/RL Azerbaijani service, revealing that Safarov was scheduled to travel to the United States on December 6 to receive a human rights award as part of International Human Rights Day celebrations. The trip was planned to last until 11 December. 

"I expected them to frame him with slander and prevent him from going," she stated. "There's nothing in Rufat's name — what land dealings? It's shameful,” she added.

As a former prosecutor in the Zardab District Prosecutor's Office, Rufat Safarov made headlines in late 2015 when he resigned, publicly accusing the Azerbaijani government of human rights violations and lawlessness. This bold move led to his arrest on bribery charges, resulting in a nine-year prison sentence from the Lankaran Serious Crimes Court in September 2016. Though he consistently maintained his innocence, he remained imprisoned until 2019, when he was released under a presidential pardon. 

Since his release, Safarov has dedicated himself to human rights advocacy, making his current detention particularly significant for Azerbaijan's civil society landscape. His lawyer, Bahruz Bayramov, emphasised that Safarov sees a direct link between his current situation and both his human rights activities and the imminent award ceremony in the United States.

The case has highlighted ongoing tensions between Azerbaijan's government and its civil society sector. Legal experts note that if convicted of all charges, Safarov could face up to 10 years in prison. His defence team has announced their intention to appeal the pre-trial detention decision, setting the stage for what could become a protracted legal battle.

The case has triggered swift diplomatic responses. British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fergus Auld took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his concerns. "Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental pillars of a democratic society, essential for its development and the self-realisation of every individual," he wrote.

The United States has also weighed in heavily on the matter. During a press briefing on December 3, US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel issued a strong statement, saying: "We are deeply concerned by the news of the detention of human rights defender Rufat Safarov in Azerbaijan. We are closely monitoring this issue." Patel went further, calling on Azerbaijan to "release all those unjustly detained and to cease pressure on civil society, including human rights defenders and journalists”.

International human rights organisations are also closely monitoring the situation, with many expressing concern about what they perceive as a continuing pattern of pressure on civil society activists in Azerbaijan. The timing of the arrest, just days before Safarov was due to receive international recognition for his work, has particularly drawn scrutiny from diplomatic observers and rights advocates alike. 

"Yesterday's arrest of Rufat Safarov on charges of 'fraud' and 'hooliganism' demonstrates yet another instance of the mounting pressure on human rights defenders and activists in that country. This concerning development forms part of a continuous pattern of suppressing dissenting voices and targeting those who speak out in defence of fundamental freedoms and democratic values," the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) general rapporteur for political prisoners, Thórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir and general rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and whistleblowers, Emanuelis Zingeris said in a press release. 

"We demand that the Azerbaijani authorities release Mr Safarov without delay and echo the recent appeal by the PACE Monitoring Committee's co-rapporteur for Azerbaijan, Lise Christoffersen, to withdraw all fabricated charges against other political prisoners. We call upon the international community to support these efforts and exercise diplomatic pressure to secure the release of political prisoners in Azerbaijan," they concluded.