This week saw U.S. President Donald Trump host Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House for pivotal peace talks, as the family of jailed activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev raised alarm over his deteriorating health and prison treatment, and a court ordered the arrest of civic activist Anar Abdulla amid an ongoing trial related to election monitoring allegations.
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Trump hosts Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders for White House peace summit
On August 8, U.S. President Donald Trump met separately with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House. The meetings were part of efforts to finalize a peace agreement between the two countries.
According to reports from The Washington Post and Reuters, the leaders were expected to sign a framework agreement that includes the creation of a strategic transportation corridor through Armenian territory. The corridor would connect mainland Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan exclave, and the agreement reportedly grants the United States exclusive development rights over the project.
The proposed route is referred to as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) and is expected to involve long-term U.S. involvement in regional infrastructure and logistics. The deal also includes the formal dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which had been co-chaired by France, Russia, and the United States since 1992.
President Trump described the day as historic in a statement on his social media platform Truth Social. He emphasized his administration’s efforts in helping both sides reach this point and expressed optimism about the potential for peace and economic cooperation.
Family of jailed activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev fears for his life
On August 8, the family of imprisoned Azerbaijani activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev spoke to Meydan TV and voiced serious concerns about his health and the treatment he is receiving in prison. They said Hajiyev is under severe psychological stress and suffering from heart-related issues.
According to his relatives, Hajiyev described being treated like a hostage at Prison No. 6. He claimed he was being denied the right to speak with his lawyer and contact the Ombudsman’s Office. The family also stated that his medical needs were not being addressed adequately, despite repeated requests.
Hajiyev was arrested in December 2022 and sentenced to ten years in prison in January 2025. He has been charged with multiple offenses including tax evasion, illegal entrepreneurship, and money laundering. He denies all charges and believes the case against him is politically motivated.
His family says he is being isolated and intentionally targeted. They also reported that he has threatened to take his own life if no action is taken to improve his situation or transfer him to a different facility. They held the leadership of the Penitentiary Service responsible for any harm that might come to him.
Despite multiple appeals to prison authorities and human rights institutions, the family says they have not received any effective response. They believe there is a deliberate effort to obstruct Hajiyev’s release or improvement in his conditions, and that he is being punished for his political stance.
Civic activist Anar Abdulla arrested during court hearing
On August 4, a Baku court ordered the pre-trial detention of civic activist Anar Abdulla during a hearing on charges linked to the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center.
Abdulla was previously under police supervision but was taken into custody after the prosecution claimed he violated the terms of that arrangement. His lawyer requested leniency on the grounds that Abdulla’s mother is ill, but the court sided with the prosecutor and approved the arrest.
Judge Aygun Gurbanova changed the existing supervision order to a detention order, and Abdulla was arrested in the courtroom. Following the ruling, the indictment was formally read out.
Abdulla was earlier sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention in July 2025 under charges of disobeying police and disorderly conduct. He has also been implicated in a larger case involving Anar Mammadli, the head of the same election monitoring center, who was detained in April 2024. Mammadli also faces a series of financial crime charges, all of which he denies.
Abdulla now faces seven criminal charges including smuggling and tax evasion. The trial is ongoing, and both activists continue to maintain their innocence.
The post Friday Wrap-up: Trump hosts Aliyev and Pashinyan for historic peace talks, jailed activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev threatens suicide over prison conditions, and court orders arrest of civic activist Anar Abdulla appeared first on MEYDAN.TV.
