Former head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev will celebrate his birthday under house arrest for the first time.
Medianews.az reports that Ramiz Mehdiyev will turn 88 on April 17 this year.
In 2025, he was charged under Articles 278.1, 274, and 193-1.3.2 of the Criminal Code, and based on the submission of the State Security Service (DTX), which is conducting the investigation, and the decision of the Sabail District Court, Ramiz Mehdiyev was placed under house arrest for 4 months on October 14. On February 10, 2026, the house arrest period was extended for another 4 months.
Therefore, the investigation is still ongoing, and the case may be completed and sent to court at the earliest in the summer.
Ramiz Anvar oglu Mehdiyev was born on April 17, 1938, in Baku city. He graduated from the history faculty of Azerbaijan State University and completed postgraduate studies at the philosophy faculty of Moscow State University. He holds a doctorate in philosophical sciences and is a full member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.
He worked at "Khazar Sea Oil" Management and as a teacher at Azerbaijan State University. Since 1965, he worked as an instructor in Azerbaijan’s central Komsomol organization, and from 1967, as second secretary in the Komsomol organization of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Between 1974-1978, he held responsible positions in the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. Between 1978-1980, he was the first secretary of the 26 Baku Commissars District Party Committee. From 1980, he worked as head of a department and from 1983, secretary in the Central Committee of the Azerbaijan Communist Party. Between 1988-1994, he served as head of a department at the Institute of Socio-Political Research and Information of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences.
Since 1994, he headed the general department of the Presidential Executive Office. From 1995 until October 23, 2019, he was head of the Presidential Administration (known as the Presidential Executive Office until 2009), and from October 23, 2019, until February 19, 2022, he was president of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.
Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code concerns actions aimed at forcibly seizing or retaining power in violation of the Constitution of Azerbaijan, as well as forcibly changing the state's constitutional order. These acts are punishable by imprisonment from 12 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
Article 274 concerns treason against the state. Treason, that is, intentional acts committed by a citizen of Azerbaijan to the detriment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, state security, or defense capability of Azerbaijan: crossing over to the enemy side, espionage, providing state secrets to a foreign state, conducting hostile activities against the Republic of Azerbaijan, assisting foreign states, organizations, or their representatives - are punishable by imprisonment from 12 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
Article 193-1 concerns legalization of property obtained through criminal means. According to paragraph 3.2 of this article, that is, article 193-1.3.2, a person who commits the same act involving a considerable amount (considered to be an amount over 50,000 manats) is punishable by imprisonment from 7 to 12 years, with or without deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to 3 years.
Four people are detained within the investigation of the criminal case initiated against Ramiz Mehdiyev. These are the chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP) Ali Karimli, his advisor Mammad Ibrahim, former employees of the Presidential Administration and National Academy of Sciences Eldar Amirov, and Vuqar Mammadov (Tofigoglu), editor-in-chief of the "Hurriyet" newspaper, Hurriyyet.az website, and "Hurriyyet TV".
Ali Karimli, Mammad Ibrahim, and Eldar Amirov are charged under Article 278.1 of the Criminal Code, and Vuqar Mammadov under Article 182.2.4 (extortion by threat with the aim of obtaining a considerable amount of property).
All four mentioned individuals were detained during an operation last year by the DTX, and preventive detention measures were chosen against them by the decision of the Sabail District Court. Their detention was extended by 4 months in February 2026.
Togrul Ali,
Medianews.az