Lawyer Gakhramanov called the criminal case persecution for his work.

The preliminary investigation into the case of Azerbaijani lawyer Zabil Gahramanov has been completed, and he has been charged with four criminal offenses. Gahramanov denies all charges and believes he is being persecuted because of his professional activities.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on January 19, the court extended the pretrial detention of lawyer Zabil Gahramanov for two months. The defense considers this decision unfounded and has filed an appeal. Gahramanov's colleagues considered the case politically motivated. In November 2025, the court upheld the investigator's decision to ban Gahramanov from communicating with his family. On March 18 and May 18, a Baku court extended Gahramanov's arrest for another two months. His defense team demanded that his pretrial detention be mitigated.

The preliminary investigation into Gahramanov's case has been completed in Azerbaijan, one of his lawyers, Rasul Jafarov, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Following the investigation, the investigative body charged the lawyer with hooliganism with resistance to a government official (Article 221.2.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan) and fraud (using official position, causing significant damage, and if repeated - Articles 178.2.2, 178.2.3, and 178.2.4 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan).

Gahramanov's defense attorneys and himself have begun reviewing the case materials, after which the indictment will be approved and sent to the court for consideration. Gakhramanov denies the charges and attributes them to his professional activities, said Jafarov. Gakhramanov's other lawyer, Fariz Namazly, previously expressed regret that his colleague's case had not received widespread public attention. "People watch a lawyer being silenced and then pass on. Meanwhile, the person whose right to defense is being taken away today may be the last one to defend you tomorrow. The most 'quiet' times come precisely when people say, 'This doesn't concern me.' People don't start knocking on doors right away; they come to others' doors first, and everyone remains silent, then the line gradually approaches," Namazly wrote on his social media page.

Representatives of the investigative agency were unavailable for comment.