The Popular Front Party (PFPA) announced the arrest of two activists for comments on social media.

Two activists of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan have been arrested under administrative law. The party called the arrests for comments on social media politically motivated.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on November 29, 2025, State Security Service officers detained Ali Karimli and his advisor, Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the Presidium of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). Both opposition figures have been arrested for 2.5 months, until February 13. Karimli is charged under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (actions aimed at the violent seizure of power or the violent change of the constitutional order of the state). He denied the charges and called his criminal case political persecution.

Teymur Salakhov, a member of the Binagadi district branch of the Popular Front Party, was arrested for 10 days in the Goychay district of the country.

"Teymur Salakhov was summoned to the Goychay district police department on January 17 while in Baku. The next day, he went to Goychay and reported to the police. There, he was told that he was being detained in connection with comments on the social network Facebook*. He was able to inform his family about this in a very short phone call. Salakhov did not have time to give details. We do not yet know what article of the Code of Administrative Offenses was charged against him. In any case, the accusation is false, and Salakhov, as he himself reported, is being persecuted for his publications on social networks," he said. Ramid Nagiyev, head of the Binagadi district organization of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The PFPA press service reported the administrative arrest of Shamil Jafarov, a member of this district organization, in the Yevlakh district on January 19 for 15 days.

"He was taken from his home first to the police, and then to court. And according to available information, he was told that the arrest was related to comments on social networks," the party representative told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

If people were previously arrested for posts on social networks, now you can end up behind bars for comments

PFPA Deputy Chairman Seymur Hazi called the arrests of Salakhov and Jafarov "politically motivated."

"A repressive campaign against the PFPA has been launched across the country. It intensified after the arrest of party leader Ali Karimli and his adviser Mammad Ibrahim at the end of November. Arrests are being carried out not only in Baku, but also in the districts, and these punitive measures are politically motivated. Alikhan Rajabli and Vugar Gadirli were arrested on criminal charges. In addition, administrative arrests are also being carried out. Moreover, if previously people were arrested for posts in "If you're talking about social media, now you can end up behind bars for comments too. Recently, even a woman, social activist Kenul Akhmedova, was arrested for a comment," Khazi told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs could not be reached for comment.

"Caucasian Knot" reported that the Khazar District Court in Baku arrested activist Kenul Akhmedova for 20 days under the article on disseminating prohibited information on social media. The administrative case on disseminating prohibited information on the internet was opened due to comments the activist left under publications by SanjakMedia and Meydan TV.

Author: Faik Majid, source, correspondent for the "Caucasian Knot"