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Verdict announced for group members who planned to establish the “Karima” state

22 May 2025 19:11 (UTC +04:00)

The final hearing was held in the case of Khagani Mammadov, Sanan Mammadov, Igbal Akhundov, Arif Jumshudov, Tarzan Garashov, and Anar Isayev, who were accused of attempting to seize power by force with the intent to establish a “Karima” state.

The verdict was announced today at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes, presided over by Judge Shelale Hasanova.

Court verdict

According to the verdict, Arif Jumshudov and Anar Isayev were each sentenced to 17 years in prison. Sanan Mammadov, Igbal Akhundov, Khagani Mammadov, and Tarzan Garashov were each sentenced to 8 years.

They will serve their sentences in a high-security correctional facility.

Charges brought forward

Note that Rufulla Akhundzada and Bakhtiyar Bayramov recruited Arif Jumshudov, a resident of the Tartar district, with enticing promises and instructed him to create a "resistance group" to seize power by inciting armed uprising throughout the country and establishing a "Karima" state governed by Sharia law by forcibly changing the constitutional structure of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Following these instructions, Arif Jumshudov involved individuals from his circle known for promoting religious radicalism — Tarzan Garashov, Sanan Mammadov, Khagani Mammadov, and Igbal Akhundov. He regularly held secret meetings at his home, where he relayed the directives of Rufulla Akhundzada and Bakhtiyar Bayramov to these individuals. The group members also worked to recruit additional individuals and reported their progress to Rufulla Akhundzada.

In addition, Rufulla Akhundzada also recruited Baku resident Anar Isayev, instructing him to form a "resistance group" aimed at establishing the so-called "Karima" state through organizing unrest in the country. Rufulla Akhundzadeh promised high material income, weapons, and all other necessary support, and introduced Anar Isayev to Arif Jumshudov to organize and work together.

The detained individuals carried out assignments from abroad to undermine the traditions of tolerance formed in Azerbaijan by portraying themselves as "devout" members of society and carried out propaganda in favor of Iran and religious radicalism via social media and at public gatherings.

The State Security Service has charged them under Article 234.1-1 of the Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, storage, and transportation of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in large quantities) and Article 278.2 (actions aimed at forcibly changing the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including its secular nature, or undermining its territorial integrity, or seizing power by force, committed on the grounds of religious enmity, religious radicalism, or religious fanaticism).