Rights Defender Sentenced to 8 Years in Azerbaijan

By Human Rights Watch

Click to expand Image Human rights defender Rufat Safarov. A Baku court’s June 12 decision to convict prominent human rights defender Rufat Safarov on bogus criminal charges and sentence him to eight years in prison is the latest blow to Azerbaijan’s already severely restricted civic space.Safarov, executive director of the human rights organization Defense Line (Müdafiə Xətti), was convicted by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes on charges of fraud, hooliganism, and intentional infliction of bodily harm. His lawyers said they would appeal.Authorities arrested Safarov on December 3, 2024,…

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