Power at Any Cost: How Ramiz Mehdiyev Traded the Country's Sovereignty
The materials released by the State Security Service materials have finally shattered the myth of a "political opposition" and exposed the real, extremely dangerous nature of a group of individuals who for years hid behind democratic rhetoric. This is not about disagreement with the authorities or political pluralism, but about deliberate, systematic, and conscious activities aimed at undermining the foundations of Azerbaijan's statehood, coordinated from abroad and executed by internal actors.
The facts established by the investigation leave no room for ambiguous interpretations. Ramiz Mehdiyev, Abbas Abbasov, Ali Kerimli, and their entourage did not act as independent political entities but as elements of an externally controlled network integrated into the mechanisms of foreign intelligence services. The structures they created, including the so-called "Union of Billionaires" and "National Council," were not political platforms but tools for interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign state. This was a sprawling infrastructure of destabilization designed to shake the country from within, create controlled chaos, and ultimately seize power through violence.
The particular cynicism of these actions lies in the fact that all of this was carried out under the slogans of "democracy" and "reforms." In reality, behind the loud statements were specific criminal acts: funding mass riots, preparing scenarios for exerting forceful pressure on state institutions, organizing disobedience to legitimate authorities, and attempting to paralyze transportation, government agencies, and strategically important facilities. Over 933,000 manats directed toward these goals were not "political support" but direct investments in chaos and street coups.
Equally telling is the external dimension of this scheme. The investigation has established that the network's participants operated in direct coordination with foreign intelligence services, providing them with analytical materials, requesting organizational and financial support, and effectively offering Azerbaijan's sovereignty in exchange for personal power. Negotiations about the geopolitical reorientation of the country and promises to secure the "strategic interests" of a foreign state all constitute blatant trading of national interests and a classic example of high treason.
The culmination of this trajectory was the attempt to exploit the patriotic surge of July 2020, when the Azerbaijani people took to the streets of Baku to support the army amid aggressive actions by Armenia. While society rallied around the state, Ali Kerimli and his circle planned to turn the popular march into a tool for provocation, destabilization, and the violent seizure of administrative buildings, including the Milli Majlis and state media. This was a deliberate stab in the back of the country at a time of external threat.
Simultaneously, on the eve of the Patriotic War, the same network systematically spread defeatist and demoralizing narratives, attempting to impose on society the idea of Azerbaijan's "inevitable defeat." Today, after the historic Victory, the liberation of occupied territories, and the restoration of territorial integrity, it becomes evident that these actions were a form of targeted informational sabotage aimed at undermining public resilience and trust in the state.
Ramiz Mehdiyev's central role in this scheme has been documented. He did not merely participate in the conspiracy but effectively coordinated the network's activities within the country, establishing direct channels of interaction with foreign intelligence services and transmitting programmatic documents abroad with plans to undermine the system of state governance and the constitutional order. Furthermore, by October 13, 2025, Ramiz Mehdiyev legalized funds amounting to over 17 million manats obtained through criminal means, adding a serious criminal offense to his series of political intrigues. This is no longer mere political adventurism but a complex of systematic actions falling under charges of high treason and violent seizure of power.
This entire story vividly demonstrates that the so-called "radical opposition" and its foreign handlers never prioritized the interests of the Azerbaijani people. Their goal was power at any cost, even at the expense of losing sovereignty, destroying the constitutional order, and turning the country into an object of external control. It is no coincidence that the so-called "exiled opposition" abroad seamlessly fit into this scheme, serving as a propaganda tool and media cover for subversive activities.
The exposure of this network is not a routine episode of domestic politics but a critical turning point. It clearly shows how dangerous it is to mask anti-state activities under democratic rhetoric.
The state has sent a clear and unequivocal message: the era of impunity for those who work against Azerbaijan according to foreign scripts is over. The sovereignty, independence, and constitutional order of the country are not up for negotiation—and any attempts to encroach upon them will be met with firm and inevitable suppression.
Leyla Ahmedova
