Coup attempt: Azerbaijani officials face serious charges

Details have emerged in Azerbaijan about a criminal case involving former head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, 87, often described as the country’s “gray cardinal,” as well as Popular Front Party chairman Ali Karimli, former First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov, and several others arrested on charges including treason and attempting to seize state power by force. The information was released by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service.

According to the statement, a complex operation was carried out to prevent subversive activities by foreign intelligence services against Azerbaijan’s security, national interests, and sovereignty. As a result, investigators say there are reasonable grounds to suspect that Ramiz Mehdiyev, Abbas Abbasov, Ali Karimli, and others took part in actions aimed at violently seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order.

Investigators allege that Abbas Abbasov and Rustam Ibragimbekov — founders and leaders of an organization registered abroad on July 4, 2012, as the “Union of Russian-Azerbaijani Organizations,” also known as the “Union of Billionaires” — together with Ramiz Mehdiyev, Ali Karimli, Popular Front members Fuad Gahramanli and Ganimat Zahid, and others conspired to seize power and violently change the constitutional order.

Authorities say that after creating the “National Council of Democratic Forces” and nominating foreign citizen Rustam Ibragimbekov in the 2013 presidential election, the group allegedly organized mass unrest, encouraged disobedience to authorities, and sought to disrupt public order and the functioning of institutions with financial and organizational support from foreign intelligence services. According to the investigation, 933,828 manats were spent for these purposes, including funds allegedly provided by Ramiz Mehdiyev and Abbas Abbasov.

Technical evidence attached to the case reportedly shows that members of the “Union of Billionaires” were instructed during the 2013 elections to send Azerbaijani citizens living abroad to the country, involve their relatives, and use them in protests and unrest.

It is also alleged that in 2013 the National Council sent a confidential letter to the leadership of a foreign country requesting support for its activities and proposing pressure on Azerbaijan.

According to the charges, Ganimat Zahid held secret negotiations with representatives of foreign intelligence services on behalf of Ali Karimli from early 2013, seeking organizational support to bring Karimli to power and allegedly promising to safeguard the foreign state’s strategic interests in return.

Authorities further claim that during a march in Baku in July 2020, Ali Karimli instructed supporters to organize unrest, seize the parliament and television buildings, and declare a takeover of power.

According to the investigation, in August–September 2025 Ramiz Mehdiyev prepared a document titled “Proposals for Reforming the State Governance System” and passed it to representatives of Russian intelligence services. These actions are being treated as treason and an attempt to violently change the constitutional order.

He is also accused of laundering more than 17 million manats obtained through criminal means by October 13, 2025.

Several individuals have been charged under relevant articles of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code. Some suspects are believed to be outside the country, have been placed on a wanted list, and have been ordered detained in absentia by a court. The investigation is ongoing.

Earlier reports said that Mehdiyev’s alleged coup plan had been revealed to President Ilham Aliyev by Russia during a summit in Dushanbe on October 9, 2025. The term of his house arrest has been extended by four months.