Guards for Azerbaijani President Attack Protesters in D.C.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was in Washington on Thursday for the inaugural meeting of Donald Trump’s Peace Council. When protesters showed up outside his hotel, his bodyguards attack them.
Protesters at the Waldorf Astoria on Pennsylvania Avenue were demanding the release of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, which has been under Aliyev’s dictatorial rule for more than 20 years. In a statementthe Azerbaijani embassy claimed that protesters “violently attempted to enter the protected zone and took offensive measures against the presidential vehicle” when Aliyev’s motorcade arrived at the hotel. He adds: “The presidential security service had no choice but to intervene immediately.”
According to the protesters, that is not what happened. One of them, Rahim Yagublu, 27, said that the guards kicked him in the stomach and punched his jaw. His father is political activist Tofig Yagublu, imprisoned in Azerbaijan for forgery and fraud. Another protester, Adil Amrakhly, 35, said that while fleeing guards, he injured his leg.
“We intended to organize a peaceful protest to demand the freedom of political prisoners in Azerbaijan,” Amrakhly said The Washington Post, adding that at least four other protesters were injured.
“They started beating us,” Yagblu said. He said nearby police did nothing and protesters called an ambulance. After examining everyone’s injuries, first responders did not take anyone to the hospital.
“It just shows us that he is a dictator and there is no freedom of speech in my country,” Yagublu said of Aliyev.
The video was job at X Thursday evening showing some of the struggle.
İlham Əliyevin mühafizəçiləri Vaşinqtonda ondan siyasi məhbuslara azadlıq tələb edən azərbaycanlı mühacir fəallara vəhşicəsinə hücum edib, onları yumruq və təpiklə vurubular. Əliyevin cangüdənlərinin hücumuna məruz qalanlardan biri də siyasi məhbus Tofiq Yaqublunun oğludur. pic.twitter.com/Xq4L3v1ACw
– Azadlıq Qəzeti (@azadliq_news) February 19, 2026
Azerbaijani Korumalar Muhaliflere Saldırdı Benzeri Kürtlere Olmuştu
Washington named the “Barış Kurulu / Board of Peace” of the Azerbaijani Devlet Başkanı Aliyev en korumaları, “Siyasi mahkumlara özgürlük” sloganıyla eylem yapan Azerbaycanlı muhaliflere saldırdı.
Hatırlatma: ABD’de… pic.twitter.com/1awbV53sHS– metinyoksu (@metinyoksu) February 19, 2026
The incident is reminiscent of a similar event during Trump’s first term in May 2017, when Turkish security personnel attack protesters outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was in Washington to meet with Trump. At the time, Congress unanimously called for criminal charges against the 24 people filmed attacking protesters. A month later, two people were arrested and arrest warrants were issued for the other security guards, but the charges will be pursued. abandoned the following March.
Will Thursday’s incident be treated the same way? Aliyev and Azerbaijan benefit from Trump’s good graces for joining the Peace Council. So the president and his Republican allies in Congress may not push for justice this time. This would be a shame, given that peacefully protesting is a constitutional right and a major freedom for Americans.
