Azerbaijani President Ilham Alyyev, Photo: Vugar Amrullaev / Sputnik / Profimedia Images
Police in Azerbaijan raided the home of Ali Karimli, the leader of one of the main opposition parties, on Saturday amid a widening investigation into an alleged coup attempt to oust President Ilham Aliyev, Reuters reports.
An Azeri government source told Reuters that the action against Karimli, leader of the People's Front Party (APFP) since 2000, is related to an ongoing criminal case against Ramiz Mehdiyev, a longtime ally of former President Heydar Aliyev, who ruled Azerbaijan until 2003, the year he died.
Two APFP members, Faiq Amirli and Mammad Ibrahim, were detained on Saturday, Karimli's deputy Seymour Hazi told Reuters.
The government source said the authorities believe Karimli is being financed by Mehdiyev, who in 1994 had become head of Heydar Aliyev's presidential administration.
Ilham Aliyev, Heydar's son, dismissed Mehdiyev in 2019, which was seen at the time as a move to remove officials appointed during his father's tenure.
In November, a court in Baku placed Mediyev, 87, under house arrest for four months, charging him with several crimes, including attempts to seize power.
Karimli, the APFP leader, has been arrested several times in connection with organizing protests in Azerbaijan, an oil and gas-rich nation that has been criticized by Western governments for its human rights record.
