RUSLAN IZZATLI
Political activist and former leader of the D18 Movement, currently imprisoned on disputed charges related to his criticism of the government.
About Ruslan Izzatli
Ruslan Izzatli was born on 18 April 1989 in the Aghdam district of Azerbaijan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Theory from the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts (2008–2012) and a master’s in Global Politics and International Relations from Bahcheshehir University in Turkey. In 2011, he graduated from the Baku Political Knowledge School of the Council of Europe.
Izzatli has a significant background in youth and political activism. He led the United Azerbaijan Youth Organisation as chairperson from 2009 to 2012. Following that, he served as deputy chairperson on the executive board of the Umid Party from 2012 to 2013, but resigned in disagreement after the party congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on his 2013 election victory.
In 2013, Izzatli founded the D18 Movement to promote democratic values, serving as its first chairperson until 2021. The movement continued its activities until it ceased operations in September 2023.
Izzatli ran in parliamentary elections in 2015 and 2020, representing the 33rd Khatai I district. The results of the 2020 election were annulled due to widespread irregularities in the district.
Despite having been declared unfit for military service due to health issues in 2007, Izzatli was unexpectedly drafted in May 2020, a move he attributed to his political activities and criticism of the government. During his military service, Izzatli took part in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and was awarded the Medal for the Liberation of Fuzuli.
Izzatli’s political activism following his military service led to further issues with the authorities. In June 2022, the Prosecutor General’s Office summoned and warned him regarding social media posts he made about the challenges faced by military personnel and war veterans.
In December 2023, he co-founded the III Republic Platform. Soon after, on 6 March 2024, he was briefly detained during raids on the offices of Toplum TV and the Institute for Democratic Initiatives. Two days later, on 8 March, he was forcibly taken into a vehicle while waiting outside the Khatai District Police Department, marking his arrest.
Case description
Following this arrest, police searched his apartment, alleging they found 4,700 euros, which they claimed was evidence of a crime. On 9 March 2024, the Khatai District Court ordered Izzatli’s pre-trial detention for four months. On 2 April 2024, the court rejected the defence’s subsequent motion to replace the arrest with house arrest.
Izzatli was initially charged with smuggling a foreign currency committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Criminal Code Article 206.3.2). On January 17, 2025, the authorities amended the indictment and brought new charges against him. In addition to the original smuggling charge, the charges included illegal entrepreneurship, large-scale money laundering, and tax evasion by an organised group.
Izzatli’s pre-trial detention was repeatedly extended by the Court several times, including on 4 July 2024, 3 October 2024, and 27 December 2024.
Izzatli, who is currently detained in Pre-trial Detention Centre N1 (Kurdakhani), has a severe health issue: his gallbladder must be surgically removed due to gallstones, a condition his wife claims could become life-threatening if not operated on. Despite medical certificates provided by the defence, the courts refused to change his pre-trial detention status.
His health-related issues, including elevated blood sugar and cholesterol, reportedly worsened in detention due to a lack of exercise and fresh air. On 14 May 2024, and again on 24 September 2024, his wife and lawyer reported that he was being denied necessary medical care in the detention centre. The medical staff allegedly refused to examine him or take his blood pressure, claiming it’s only done in “critical condition.”
In October 2025, Izzatli and fellow detainee Akif Gurbanov issued an appeal to the President, asserting that their persecution is occurring “by your will,” and calling for the release of journalist Shamshad Agha in the related “Meydan TV case” due to his wife’s life-threatening illness. In this letter, they stressed their determination to continue their non-violent struggle against the “One-Man’ regime.”
As of October 2025, the trial in his case is ongoing.
Resources about Ruslan Izzatli
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