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.
Yashar Shikhametov, serving an 11-year sentence in IK-37 in the Kemerovo region, lost 30 kg during his imprisonment. His health has deteriorated so much that he experiences severe joint pain and is practically unable to move independently.
Shikhametov's lawyer reported that his client was taken to the meeting in a wheelchair. The prison administration granted the prisoner leave from work and an additional two hours of rest during the day. It is reported that he had to be taken to court hearings related to Shikhametov's case on a stretcher and then transported on a gurney. The prisoner's poor health often became the reason for the postponement of court hearings.
In 2022, the Southern District Military Court in Rostov sentenced cook Yashar Shikhametov to 11 years in prison. He was charged with membership in the Islamic political party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in Russia but operates legally in most countries. According to the case file, the accused did not have weapons, did not plan to commit a terrorist act, and did not call on others to commit terrorist acts.