Wife of jailed Azerbaijani ex-lawmaker appeals to president over health concerns

The wife of imprisoned former Azerbaijani lawmaker Nazim Baydamirli, Farida Baydamirli, has appealed to President Ilham Aliyev, requesting assistance regarding her husband’s health and legal situation.

In the appeal, she said Baydamirli, who has been in custody for nearly three years, has recently experienced a deterioration in his health and has been transferred to a medical facility under the Penitentiary Service. His family says he requires treatment in a better-equipped hospital.

Farida Baydamirli also alleged that the family has faced pressure in connection with ongoing court proceedings and civil disputes related to the case. She asked the president to order Baydamirli’s release under house arrest.

Baydamirli was sentenced in September 2024 to eight years in prison. He had earlier appealed to the president in February 2024 to terminate the criminal case against him.

He was detained on July 4, 2024 by the Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Combating Organised Crime and charged under Article 182.2.4 of the Criminal Code (extortion involving large amounts). Investigators allege he blackmailed a business partner using video material and demanded 50,000 manat.

Baydamirli and his defence team deny the обвинения and link his arrest to events in the Soyudlu village of Gadabay district, according to local reports.

Aytaj