By accusing him of possessing counterfeit money, the authorities guarantee the political neutralization of Gubad Ibadoglu

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan's shocking announcement about the detention of Gubad Ibadoglu, a prominent economist with affiliations to several reputable institutions, has sparked widespread discussions in society. On July 24, 2023, the ministry accused Ibadoglu of having connections with the Turkish terrorist organization FETO and implicated him in counterfeiting money, based on the testimony of a certain Anar Aliyev. The police reportedly found $40,000 in Ibadoglu's apartment, but it remains unclear whether the money was genuine or counterfeit.

Ibadoglu vehemently denied the charges, claiming that the money was planted, and that he does not know the person named Anar Aliyev. He also disclosed that his detention was allegedly ordered by President Aliyev, a claim supported by his wife. Supporters of the authorities embraced the official version, while the democratic camp dismissed it, accusing the authorities of politically motivated persecution.

It is important to note that Azerbaijan has not officially recognized FETO as a terrorist organization, even though it is considered criminal in Turkey. Past detentions of individuals with supposed ties to FETO in Azerbaijan have seen charges eventually replaced. Revisiting the FETO connection in Ibadoglu's case may undermine the credibility of Azerbaijan's law enforcement, as they failed to eradicate the network in the country since the attempted coup in Turkey in 2016.

The claim of Ibadoglu's ties to FETO appears unconvincing and may not hold up in the International Court of Human Rights. Thus, the accusation of involvement in counterfeit money seems like an alternative and supplementary line of investigation aimed at neutralizing the opposition figure.

Gubad Ibadoglu's political activities, including his criticism of President Aliyev's economic policies on social media and his revelations about SOCAR's activities, have made him a prominent and active politician. His involvement in establishing a foundation to finance the education of talented Azerbaijani students abroad has drawn parallels to the activities of Fethullah Gulen, whose educational institutions were banned in Turkey and closed in Azerbaijan.

Previous conflicts between Gubad Ibadoglu and the authorities, especially the incident with the hacking of his social media accounts and personal pages, really add credibility to the theory that his detention could have been politically motivated. Such incidents indicate that the pro-Government forces already perceived Ibadoglu as a threat or hindrance, and they may have sought to undermine his authority and silence his dissenting voice.

The claim that the detention could have been carried out on the orders of Turkish President Erdogan and carried out by President Aliyev is becoming increasingly relevant in this context, especially given the historical relations between the two countries and the influence that Turkey can exert on the internal affairs of Azerbaijan. This version is being developed by analyst Rauf Mirkadyrov, who himself became a victim of Erdogan's order.

In addition, the decision of the authorities to focus on the accusation of counterfeiting instead of investigating the connection with FETO further confirms the assumption of a political motive. 

Ultimately, the situation surrounding the detention of Gubad Ibadoglu underscores the importance of protecting freedom of speech, political dissent and the right to a fair trial in any democratic society. It is imperative that the international community pay attention to such cases and hold Governments accountable for respect for human rights and the principles of justice.