Baku: The final court hearing has been held in the criminal case against Manaf Jalilzadeh, who is accused of making open calls against the state. The verdict was read in absentia today at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes, chaired by Judge Ayten Aliyeva.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Manaf Jalilzadeh was sentenced to 8 years in prison. A decision was previously made to bring Jalilzadeh as an accused under Article 281.2 of the Criminal Code. He was declared wanted after escaping the investigation and hiding outside the borders of Azerbaijan. By a decision of the Binagadi District Court dated February 15 of the past year, preventive detention in absentia was warranted.

On September 19, 2025, authorities decided to charge Manaf Jalilzadeh under Articles 220.2 and 281.2 of the Criminal Code, reflecting additions and changes to the accusations. The charges stem from an incident on February 17, 2019, where he, along with others, was involved in filming and broadcasting open calls aimed at forcibly changing the constitutional order of Azerbaijan. This event took place near the United Nations Office in Geneva and was broadcast on a YouTube channel named 'Diktator TV,' encouraging violence against the Azerbaijani government.

Further accusations against Jalilzadeh relate to video appeals disseminated from January 19, 2023, to June 17, 2025. Through 19 different video appeals, he allegedly made open calls that disrupted public order and attempted to paralyze government authorities.

The accused was warned about the possibility of in absentia proceedings, leading to an in absentia verdict and other court decisions.