'I am a prisoner of conscience': Ali Karimli, the opposition figure defying Azerbaijan’s regime
Key takeaways
- Azerbaijan’s opposition leader Ali Karimli, a former secretary of state, goes on trial in Baku on Wednesday for an alleged "attempted coup".
- Issued on: 10/06/2026 - 13:42Modified: 10/06/2026 - 13:52
- His lawyers say he could face 12 to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Azerbaijan’s opposition leader Ali Karimli, a former secretary of state, goes on trial in Baku on Wednesday for an alleged "attempted coup". Karimli spoke to FRANCE 24 from prison, where he slammed the charges against him as "entirely fabricated and politically motivated" and warned that he risked assassination.
Issued on: 10/06/2026 - 13:42Modified: 10/06/2026 - 13:52
By: Assiya HAMZA In this Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010 file photo, Ali Karimli, the then leader of Azerbaijan's opposition party Musavat, speaks to reporters during a news conference in the party's headquarters in Baku, Azerbaijan. AP - Manoocher Deghati Azerbaijan’s Ali Karimli, a leading figure in the country’s democratic opposition, will go on trial in Baku on Wednesday, June 10, facing charges of “attempted coup” under Article 278-1 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code. His lawyers say he could face 12 to 20 years in prison if convicted.