Azerbaijan sentences prominent rights activist to eight years in prison

BAKU - A court in Azerbaijan sentenced a prominent rights activist to eight years in prison after convicting him of hooliganism and fraud in a case his lawyer said was politically motivated.

The activist, Rufat Safarov, is a former prosecutor who runs the rights group Defense Line. He previously served three years for bribery before being pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in 2019.

His lawyer, Rovshana Rahimova, told Reuters that she disagreed with the verdict and would appeal.

Oil-producing Azerbaijan has drawn criticism from the West over its human rights record following a series of arrests of independent journalists and political activists in recent years.

Baku rejects the criticism and says calls by Western diplomats to release detainees amount to interference in its judicial system.

(Reporting by Nailia Bagirova. Writing by Lucy Papachristou. Editing by Mark Potter)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 10:44 AM.