An Azerbaijani opponent stabbed in Mulhouse has died

The man, aged 62, was attacked in his apartment in Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin) on Sunday, by three masked individuals “while he was sleeping at home”, according to Henri Carpentier, lawyer for another rights defender of Azerbaijani man, Mahammad Mirzali.

According to the first elements of the investigation, the victim showed signs of around fifteen stab wounds and defensive wounds on his arms. With his cries, he alerted the neighborhood, which caused the attackers to flee. He then called his brother, who himself requested the intervention of emergency services and the police.

An investigation into attempted murder was opened by the prosecution on Sunday. Mr. Isgandarli could not be heard by the investigators on these facts, explains the prosecution. He should have been when his state of health permitted it, but he died on Tuesday from his injuries at Mulhouse hospital, where he had been placed in intensive care.

“Stone Throwing”

Mr. Isgandarli “had recently strongly criticized President Aliyev and his regime,” explains Mr. Carpentier. The victim had obtained a humanitarian visa in France in 2017, granted to people whose life or security is threatened. He had settled there with his family. Opponent of the regime in power in his country, he ran a YouTube channel and a blog.

Vidadi Isgandarli had already been the victim of an attack in Mulhouse, in 2022: he had been “the victim of stone throwing”, explains the prosecution. His attackers were arrested and a criminal order was issued. “But there was no political dimension,” notes the prosecution. “He had been attacked by young people from the neighborhood because, according to the attackers, he was harassing a young woman. The police investigation concluded that it was a simple neighborhood dispute.”

“An autopsy has been ordered and we are using everything that can be done, particularly video surveillance,” specifies the prosecution. “All avenues remain open at present”, and the investigation has been entrusted to the interdepartmental service of the Mulhouse judicial police.