Azerbaijani oppositionist Gakhramanly accused of domestic violence

A criminal case has been opened against Fuad Gakhramanly, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), about him beating up his wife and two daughters. Political opponents have used a family conflict for their own purposes, Gakhramanly himself has stated; his wife said that she has no claims to the husband.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 25, 2017, a court in Baku passed verdicts to Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the "Muslim Unity" movement, and his 16 supporters, accused of staging riots in the village of Nardaran. Fuad Gakhramanly, a PFPA Deputy Chairman, as well as activists, Ramin Yaryev and Agil Guliev, received shortest sentences – 10 years in prison each.

The current investigation began after a video posted on the YouTube on September 19, 2019, in which Fuad's eldest daughter told about the systematic violence used by her father against her mother and younger sister.

According to Zumrud Gakhramanly, Fuad's wife, in 2010, Gakhramanly damaged his daughter's knee with a broken glass; and in the summer of 2013 broke her finger.

Fuad Gakhramanly has refuted the allegations that he had intentionally caused bodily harm to his youngest daughter. "It was almost 10 years ago. On that day I was very nervous and threw a glass on the floor; its fragments wounded my daughter's knee," he said. He believes that his elder daughter recorded the video message under the influence of emotions.

He has added that opponents had used his family problems to their advantage.

Zumrud Gakhramanly, his wife, asked on the Facebook not to use her and their daughters in political games.