The Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan has declared seven individuals residing and operating in Türkiye internationally wanted in connection with a case involving public calls for the violent seizure of power in Azerbaijan. A court in Baku has ordered their arrest in absentia as a preventive measure.

As Report reports, citing the Prosecutor General’s Office, a criminal case has been opened under Articles 281.2, 283.2.1 and 167-3.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The preliminary investigation has been assigned to the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

According to the investigation, the individuals involved distributed materials through social media and internet platforms calling for the violent alteration of the constitutional order and seizure of state power in Azerbaijan, as well as inciting violence and religious hatred and hostility on the grounds of religious radicalism.

Investigators identified seven suspects: Rıdvan Kaya, author for the Haksöz magazine and the Haksöz Haber online outlet; Zekeriya Ceran, a writer for Köklü Değişim and host on Değişim TV, also known as Abdullah İmamoğlu; Fatih Tezcan, founder of the Analiz Merkezi online outlet and host of the programme Fatih Tezcan’la Analiz Merkezi; Ahmet Şanlı, head of the Ahmet Şanlı Hukuk Bürosu law office; as well as Fahrettin Taşkaya Saral, Abdurrahman Tümer and Alparslan Tanrıkulu.

The publications were posted between September 25 and October 18 on the social media platforms X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, as well as on other online resources. They were accompanied by numerous photographs, videos and other materials of a religiously radical nature.

In addition, Rıdvan Kaya spoke at a rally outside the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul on October 3. On October 13, he and Zekeriya Ceran also spoke at a rally outside the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Ankara, making calls for the violent seizure of power and statements of a religiously radical nature.

By rulings of the Binagadi District Court of Baku, arrest warrants were issued in absentia for all seven individuals, and they were declared internationally wanted.

Investigative proceedings are ongoing, and international legal assistance mechanisms are being used, including cooperation with the competent authorities of Türkiye.