On February 14, the Baku Court of Appeal completed consideration of the appeal against the verdict against Ali Aliyev, the leader of the Citizen and Development Party. The Court of Appeal upheld the arrest for 5 months.

Human rights activist Rufat Safarov, who took part in the trial, said that Aliyev called the arrest a political order. He also told the court that he was being pressured in custody and threatened with bodily harm.

"Ali's condition is very bad. He officially announced in court that he was being threatened with death by government officials. Ali was told that ‘we could give you medicine and kill you.’ I understood that ambassadors from some government had come to Ali in recent days. They said that if he does not change his policy and rhetoric, his rights will not be recognised. He officially stated this in court. He said he was committed to his struggle and ideas.

Ali Aliyev's lawyer Javad Javadov stressed his innocence, calling the arrest of the party chairman a violation of freedom of expression.

On November 30, 2021, a Mi-17 helicopter of the State Border Service crashed during training flights at the Garaheybat airfield in the Khizi region, killing 14 servicemen and injuring two others.

Lieutenant-Colonel Emil Jafarov and Captain Ramin Adilov, who were injured in the helicopter crash, filed a lawsuit against Party chairman Ali Aliyev. Emil Jafarov stated in his lawsuit that Aliyev discredited him by accusing him of lying.

Both officers of the State Border Service were found guilty under Article 147.1 of the Criminal Code and demanded that Aliyev be sentenced to 6 months in prison.

Thus, the reason for the officers' complaint is Aliyev’s thoughts on the possibility of surviving the helicopter crash during a speech on the "Osmangizi TV" YouTube channel on December 9, 2021. Ali Aliyev also did not rule out the possibility of Russia's involvement in the helicopter crash.

The Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal case under Article 352.2 of the Criminal Code (violation of the rules of flight or flight preparation caused the death of two or more people through negligence) and other articles.

The Prosecutor General's Office said that the helicopter crash was caused by mistakes made by pilots.

The European Union has reacted to the appeal of the Committee for Public Protection of the Rights of Ali Aliyev, the leader of the Citizen and Development Party.

According to the Defence Committee, the letter, signed by Richard Tibbets, coordinator of the European Union's Eastern Partnership program, states that Aliyev's arrest is being watched by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Charles Michel and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

It is also noted that the EU Delegation to Baku is monitoring the situation and bringing it to the attention of the Azerbaijani government.