Date of Birth: 4 December 2001
Detained Since: 6 March 2024
Affiliation: Civil society activist; researcher in international relations; group coordinator, IDI Young Project Managers program

Charges:

• Conspiracy to commit illegal entrepreneurship (Art. 192.3.2)

• Conspiracy to commit money laundering (Arts. 193-1.3.1, 193-1.3.2)

• Conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling (Art. 206.4)

• Conspiracy to commit tax evasion (Art. 213.2.1)

• Arranging employment of a substantial number of employees without labour contracts (Art. 162-1)

Conviction and Sentence:
Trial ongoing before the Baku Assize Court. No conviction or sentence to date.

Political Prisoner Status:
His detention meets criteria (a) and (e) of PACE Resolution 1900 (2012):

• Violation of freedom of expression and association under the ECHR.

• Prosecution is politically motivated, targeting him for his affiliation with the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI).

Summary:
Ilkin Amrahov is a young civil society activist and researcher in international relations. He completed IDI’s Young Project Managers program, later interning and working as a group coordinator for the program’s second phase. Through his work with IDI, he engaged in civic projects promoting democratic participation and youth empowerment.

On 6 March 2024, police raided the offices of IDI, Toplum TV, and the Third Republic Platform (TRP), as well as staff homes. Amrahov and others were arrested, and authorities claimed to discover 123,048.96 AZN in cash during searches conducted without lawyers present. Detainees maintain that the money was planted while they were under police control.

On 8 March 2024, he was formally charged with bulk cash smuggling. In March 2025, charges were expanded to include illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, tax evasion, and labour-code violations. He was remanded in custody and remains detained at Baku Pre-Trial Detention Facility No. 1. His trial began on 2 April 2025 and is ongoing.

The proceedings against him are marred by serious due process violations: searches conducted without legal counsel, reliance on undisclosed “operational information,” and the absence of verifiable evidence linking him to financial crimes. Courts extended his detention multiple times without sufficient justification.

Amrahov’s targeting fits the broader 2023–2024 crackdown on civil society and independent media, preceded by restrictive laws on media (2021) and political parties (2022). The repression echoes the 2013–2014 cycle previously condemned by the European Court of Human Rights. Pro-government media portrayed him and IDI as part of a Western-backed “fifth column,” reinforcing the political nature of his case.

International human rights groups have raised concerns that his arrest is politically motivated and intended to silence youth activism and civic participation.

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