Sir William Browder KCMG

Ali Karimli has been honoured with the 2026 Magnitsky Human Rights Award for Outstanding Political Opposition Figure. The award was presented by Baroness Helena Kennedy at a ceremony in London on 12 November and accepted on his behalf by his daughter, Sezan Karimli, while he remains imprisoned in Azerbaijan. In her acceptance speech, Sezan reflected on her father’s lifelong struggle for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan. Recalling his role in the country’s independence movement, she emphasised that, for him, independence meant far more than a flag. It meant “the freedom to speak, to choose your leaders, and to disagree without fear.” She recalled her father’s words: “What matters to me is not how long I live, but how I live.” She also called for international accountability and targeted consequences for those responsible for serious human rights abuses, stressing that the award honours not only her father’s courage but also Azerbaijan’s more than 300 political prisoners and the families waiting for their return. She concluded with a deeply personal hope: “I hope that one day soon, I can place this award in my father’s hands.” Just one day after this international recognition, on 13 November, Ali Karimli faced trial in Baku. His next hearing is scheduled for 20 November. #MagnitskyAwards