Representatives of the Council of Europe have called on Azerbaijani authorities to release human rights defender Anar Mammadli, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Specifically, PACE rapporteur on political prisoners Azadeh Rojhan asserts that his prosecution is political in nature and that fundamental principles of a fair trial were violated during the proceedings.
Ramazan Mkhtse, a lawyer and activist from Cherkessk, has become the subject of new criminal cases. He has been charged with publicly calling for attacks on state security and publicly disseminating "fakes" about the Russian Armed Forces.
The charges stemmed from a video posted by Ramazan Mkhtse on his YouTube channel. Specifically, the video claimed that Russian troops had destroyed cities in Ukraine. Investigators determined that his actions were motivated by political hatred and hostility toward the Russian Federation.
In 2025, Ramazan Mkhtse was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for disseminating "fakes" about the Russian army. The charges stemmed from a video titled "Time to Change! No to War!" The court ruled that the video was intended to discredit the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine.
The sentence was handed down in absentia because Ramazan Mkhtse is currently abroad. He is a lawyer and activist dedicated to preserving Abaza culture and has previously been awarded a certificate of honor by the parliament of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.