Baku: Ganimat Zahid and Fuad Gahramanli have been accused of attempting to forcibly seize power, according to a statement issued by the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, APA reports. Arrest warrants have been issued in absentia for both individuals.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Ganimat Zayidov has allegedly been in covert communication with foreign special service agencies since 2013. Acting on behalf of Ali Karimli, Zayidov reportedly sought assistance from these agencies to bring Karimli to power in Azerbaijan. In exchange, Zayidov promised to ensure the strategic interests of the foreign state in Azerbaijan and agreed that, should Karimli assume power, Azerbaijan would gradually become a full member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

The indictment also accuses Ali Karimli of continuing criminal activities in line with prior agreements with Zahid and Gahramanli. It claims that during a citizen march in Baku on July 14-15, 2020, in support of the Azerbaijani army, Karimli instructed Gahramanli and others to infiltrate the march. They were allegedly tasked with replacing patriotic slogans with provocative calls to incite chaos, seize control of the crowd, and take over key administrative buildings, including the Milli Majlis and Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC, to announce a power seizure via mass media.

In connection with these alleged criminal acts, Abbas Abbasov, Ali Karimli, Fuad Gahramanli, Mammad Ibrahim, and Ganimat Zayidov have been charged under various articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including actions aimed at forcible seizure or retention of power and treason. Abbasov, Gahramanli, and Zayidov have been declared wanted, with arrest warrants issued in absentia, as they are currently evading investigation outside Azerbaijan.

It is noted that Ganimat Zayidov has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment in absentia by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes for public calls against the state, a charge under Article 281.2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.