Azerbaijani cultural activists Ata Karimi and Amir Ibrahimlu informed their relatives in a phone call on October 28, 2025, that they had been transferred to the admissions section of Urmia Central Prison.
According to sources close to the activists, at least 20 people have been arrested in connection with the recent events. Among them, in addition to Ata Karimi and Amir Ibrahimlu, Urmia-based blogger Puyan Yazdani and Ali Pashayee were also summoned to the Urmia Intelligence Office yesterday. After interrogation and being formally charged, they were transferred to Urmia Central Prison.
In his contact with relatives, Ata Karimi also stated that he had not been given the necessary medication.
On Saturday, the families of Ata Karimi and Amir Ibrahimlu again visited the 6th Branch of the Urmia Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office to request a clear explanation about their children’s detention, the charges brought against them, and the status of their bail decisions. Despite the reluctance of judicial and security officials to respond, they were ultimately told that the detention order for Amir Ibrahimlu had not been changed, while Ata Karimi’s detention order had been converted to bail, but for “certain reasons,” it has not yet been implemented.
According to reports, Ata Karimi suffers from stage-3 fatty liver disease and had been receiving medical treatment under a doctor’s supervision. Amir Ibrahimlu, meanwhile, requires medical assistance due to a herniated disc and severe rheumatism. However, despite repeated requests from their families, judicial and security authorities have refused to allow the delivery of their required medications, raising serious concerns about the health conditions of both Azerbaijani prisoners.
Ata Karimi and Amir Ibrahimlu were arrested on October 22, 2025, at their workplaces through violent physical force by security agents. During the arrests, the officers damaged their shops and confiscated their mobile phones, work equipment, security cameras, modems, and POS machines.
