17:22, 21 September 2026

Yagublu has faced restrictions on his rights in the Azerbaijani colony.

The oppositionist Tofig Yagublu, sentenced in Azerbaijan, has been denied notary services for about a month, which prevents him from granting a power of attorney to his wife. According to a lawyer, the refusals to the inmate's request contradict the law.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", at the end of May, Tofig Yagublu, suffering from pain, was allowed to undergo a specialized medical examination at a private civilian clinic. The politician's daughter, Nigar Khazi, expressed hope that the examination would help establish an accurate diagnosis and treat her father. Later, Yagublu was given the results of an MRI examination, and he was examined by an orthopedic doctor.

Despite Tofig Yagublu's transfer from quarantine to the general zone of colony No. 17, the conditions of his detention have not improved, and his health condition continues to deteriorate, Nigar Khazi, who visited him on May 12, said. "My father is still not being examined or treated. He is not even given two crutches. Walking with one crutch does not alleviate the pain [in his knee]," she said.

Today, Nigar Khazi informed a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" about the restrictions on her father's rights in correctional institution No. 17. According to her, the politician has been unsuccessfully trying to notarize a power of attorney for his wife, Maya Yagublu, for about four weeks.

"The responsibility for providing notary services in the colony is shifted from the Ministry of Justice to the penitentiary service. Sometimes they say that the Ministry of Justice is handling this issue, and sometimes they say it’s the Penitentiary Service, and that they should make the decision. My mother still hasn’t been able to obtain the power of attorney, which restricts her civil rights as well," Khazi said.

The need for a new power of attorney arose because the previous one, which Yagublu had given to his wife for a period of 10 years, has expired, the politician's daughter explained.

Having a power of attorney from a close person is simply necessary

"When a person is in prison, having a power of attorney from a close person is simply necessary. Many questions arise when a representative must act on behalf of the convicted person. For example, recently it was necessary to re-register a phone number, and my mother had a power of attorney, so she was able to do it. The power of attorney is needed to represent my father in social security agencies. New decisions from the European Court of Human Rights regarding my father’s case are expected, and the power of attorney will be needed to receive compensation. Therefore, my father wants to issue a new general power of attorney to my mother - for all possible cases, from representation in government agencies to appeals to utility services," Khazi said.

Tofig Yagublu is a member of the coordination center of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) and the Musavat party. On March 10, 2025, the court sentenced him to 9 years in prison, finding him guilty of fraud and forgery. Yagublu rejected the charges and stated that his prosecution is politically motivated. There is no evidence of Yagublu's guilt in the case, his defense stated. The appellate and cassation courts upheld the sentence.

One can only hope that officials will stop shifting responsibility onto each other

She believes that her father is being discriminated against, as other inmates do not face such problems.

"Notary services were even provided to [former Karabakh president] Araik Harutyunyan, who was convicted of serious crimes. This was mentioned in the official statement of the penitentiary service. However, when it comes to Tofig Yagublu, his rights are violated, even though he is a veteran of the first Karabakh war, and his son participated in the hostilities of 2020. I really hope that officials will stop shifting responsibility onto each other and ensure the notarization of the power of attorney from father to mother," Khazi said.

The representative of the Azerbaijani ombudsman’s office also reported that "the request of Araik Harutyunyan for notary service has been fulfilled." "Since this coincided with the day of the visit, members of the National Preventive Group of the ombudsman directly observed the provision of this service," the agency Report quoted his words on September 19.

The procedure for transferring a power of attorney from an inmate to his relatives is regulated by the law on notaries and the regulations of the Ministry of Justice, explained a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" a Baku lawyer, who requested not to publish his name.

A power of attorney can also be certified by the head of the penitentiary institution

"To issue a power of attorney, there is no need to invite a notary to the correctional institution. The head of the penitentiary institution can also certify the power of attorney. And such a document is equivalent to a notarized one. In the case of Tofig Yagublu, considering his political position, the colony's management is likely being cautious and waiting for approval from above. And the higher-ups, in turn, are waiting for instructions from higher authorities," the lawyer said.

The correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" was unable to obtain comments from the Penitentiary Service and the Ministry of Justice.

Translated automatically via OpenAI from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/426816