The ECHR found a violation of the rights of Azerbaijani human rights activist Safarov.

The European Court of Human Rights has ordered the Azerbaijani authorities to pay €4,000 to human rights activist Rufat Safarov for violating his right to a fair trial in 2016.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, Rufat Safarov worked as an investigator for the Zerdabi District Prosecutor's Office. In January 2016, he was arrested, and in September of that year, he was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of bribery. Safarov pleaded not guilty, citing the political nature of the case. Before his arrest, he submitted his resignation in disagreement with the policies of the Azerbaijani government. In March 2019, Safarov was pardoned. A year later, he and like-minded individuals founded the human rights organization "Line of Defense."

16:29 23.01.2026

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The European Court of Human Rights has examined the complaint of Rufat Safarov, who complained about his arrest in 2016, JAMnews reported today.

"Safarov claimed that he was convicted on false charges and was not given the opportunity to challenge them. The court awarded him €4,000 in compensation for pecuniary damage and €1,000 in legal costs," the publication stated.

The ruling in Safarov's case was dated February 17 and posted on the ECHR website. According to the document, the court found that the Azerbaijani authorities violated Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Right to a fair trial) in the case of Rufat Safarov.

In his complaint to the ECHR, Safarov stated that he was unable to "ensure the attendance of witnesses in his defense and/or the examination of witnesses," and also "complained about a violation of his right to adequate time to prepare his defense," the court ruling stated.

Safarov has been in custody for over a year on new criminal charges.

Rufat Safarov is the executive director of the human rights organization "Line of Defense." He has been in custody since December 2024 on charges of fraud and hooliganism. Safarov's detention prevented him from flying to the United States, where on December 10, 2024, he was awarded the State Department Award in absentia.

Rufat Safarov is accused of embezzling money from Natig Imanguliyev, who transferred 60,000 manat (approximately $36,000) to purchase a plot of land and did not receive it back when the deal fell through. Safarov denied the charges, citing his human rights activities.

On September 29, 2025, Safarov testified in court that he was provoked by security forces on the day of his arrest. According to Safarov, he was attacked in an underground parking garage, after which he grabbed his attacker by the belt and called for a security guard. However, a police car immediately appeared, and the human rights activist was detained.

On December 8, 2025, Natig Imanguliyev's testimony was heard. The victim's account of the location of the conflict, presented at the hearing, conflicted with the materials provided by the defense. Furthermore, according to mobile phone data, Imanguliyev was in contact with police officers before the incident, who soon detained Safarov.

At another court hearing, Natig Imanguliyev admitted that he had not undergone a medical examination, despite the investigation file containing a medical report. The victim's testimony became further confirmation of the version of the fabrication of the case and Safarov's innocence.