Opposition figure Gulu Mammadli stated that the arrest of Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), was expected, but the reasons go beyond simple criticism of the authorities. According to Mammadli, Karimli's publications in major Western media have increased his political significance and visibility abroad, which has caused concern among the Azerbaijani authorities.
The day before, at a meeting with an American military expert, former Marine and intelligence officer Scott Ritter in Grozny, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, said that he was ready to exchange 20 Ukrainian prisoners of war for the lifting of sanctions against his mother, daughters, children and wife.
Later, in his Telegram channel, the head of Chechnya called his statement “fat trolling.” Kadyrov explained that he knew that “for the US leadership the lives of ordinary Ukrainians are worthless, and with his statement he wanted to show the true face of American politicians.”
“It is obvious that the United States will not agree to lift sanctions in exchange for prisoners. But it's interesting to hear their excuses, if they have any. As for sanctions, they don’t interfere with our lives in any way,” Kadyrov concluded.