Azerbaijani Opposition Leader's Bodyguard Jailed On 'Politically Motivated' Charge

A court in Baku on October 5 sentenced Kenan Zeynalov, a bodyguard of opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP) leader Ali Karimli, to 25 days in jail after finding him guilty of "disobeying police orders." The AXCP called Zeynalov's arrest and sentencing politically motivated. In October 2021, another of Karimli's bodyguards, Niyamaddin Ahmadov, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on terrorism charges that Ahmadov and AXCP also called politically motivated. Critics of President Ilham Aliyev say Azerbaijan frequently jails opposition activists without grounds to silence dissent. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, click here.