Date of Birth: 18 August 1997
Detained Since: 9 April 2025
Affiliation: a trained social worker and the founder/head of the Ubuntu Social Work Association initiative.

Charges:

• Article 193-1.3.2 – legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means, in a large amount

• Article 308.2 initially, later reclassified to Article 308.1 – abuse of official powers

• Article 313 – official forgery.

Conviction and Sentence: On 11 March 2026, Zamin Zaki was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison by the Baku Assize Court. 

Political Prisoner Status:

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

• Violation of freedom of expression and the right to freedom of association, as well as the right to a fair trial and to liberty and security under the ECHR.

• His prosecution is politically motivated and aimed at silencing him for his social work and civic activism.

Summary:

Zamin Zaki is an Azerbaijani-trained social worker and the founder and head of the Ubuntu Social Work Association initiative. His work focused on socially oriented training, mentoring, and community engagement, particularly with students and vulnerable groups. He also contributed to practice-oriented social-work education and initiatives in socially sensitive fields.

He was detained on 9 April 2025 in connection with the so-called “NGO case,” a broader criminal investigation targeting independent civil society actors. He was charged with financial and administrative offences related to the implementation of a donor-funded project titled “Collective Care: Building Stronger Communities Together.” These charges—money laundering, abuse of office, and forgery—are widely regarded as lacking credibility and as part of a politically motivated campaign against NGOs.

The prosecution relied primarily on financial and administrative documentation and witness statements linked to the project. The case was built on the allegation that grant funding had been improperly structured and concealed through contractual arrangements and third-party accounts. However, the defence demonstrated that these arrangements reflected routine project management and grant administration practices rather than criminal conduct. Evidence in the case file indicated that the funds were used for legitimate project expenses, including training, rent, and operational costs.

Throughout the proceedings, the courts failed to conduct independent scrutiny of the prosecution’s claims. The charges were modified during the investigation, suggesting a lack of a coherent underlying criminal offence. Pre-trial detention was imposed and repeatedly extended without meaningful consideration of alternatives, reinforcing concerns about procedural violations.

Zaki’s case forms part of a broader pattern of repression in Azerbaijan since 2022–2023, in which civil-society actors, NGO workers, and individuals involved in foreign-funded projects have been targeted with criminal charges related to financial or administrative irregularities. This pattern has been widely documented by international human rights organisations.

International observers, including Human Rights Watch, have denounced the charges against Zamin Zaki as politically motivated. His prosecution appears intended to deter independent civic activity and restrict engagement with international partners.

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