The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Azerbaijan to pay €4,000 to human rights activist Rufat Safarov, finding a violation of his right to a fair trial in 2016.
At the time, Safarov, who served as an investigator, was sentenced to nine years for bribery, denying his guilt and citing the political nature of the case. His resignation before his arrest was due to disagreement with government policies.
After being pardoned in 2019, Safarov actively engaged in human rights work, but in 2024 he was again arrested on charges of fraud and hooliganism. The human rights activist denies these charges, claiming persecution in connection with his activities and the award he received from the US State Department. He also told the court that he allegedly was provoked by security forces on the day of his arrest. He said he was attacked by an unknown assailant and began calling for help. A police car immediately arrived, and the human rights activist was detained.
