Published on 30 March 2026
THIRD SECTION
Application no. 18839/24
Khadija ISMAYILOVA against Azerbaijan
and 15 other applications
(see list appended)
communicated on 13 March 2026
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE
The present applications concern the applicants’ complaints under Article 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention concerning travel bans imposed by the domestic authorities on the applicants, who were prevented from leaving Azerbaijan. They further complain under Article 18 that their Convention rights were restricted for purposes other than those prescribed in the Convention. Some applicants also raise complaints under Articles 8, 10 and 13 of the Convention.
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
COMMON QUESTIONS
1. Was any restriction placed on the applicants’ freedom to leave the territory of the respondent State, as guaranteed by Article 2 § 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention? If so, was that restriction in accordance with the law and necessary in terms of Article 2 § 3 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention (see Mursaliyev and Others, nos. 66650/13 and 10 others, §§ 29‑36, 13 December 2018)?
2. Were the restrictions imposed by the State in the present cases, purportedly pursuant to Article 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention, applied for a purpose other than those envisaged by that provision, contrary to Article 18 of the Convention (see Democracy and Human Rights Resource Centre and Mustafayev v. Azerbaijan, nos. 74288/14 and 64568/16, §§ 102‑111, 14 October 2021)?
CASE SPECIFIC QUESTION IN RESPECT OF APPLICATIONS NOS. 31483/24, 31663/24, 31666/24, 35916/24, 1552/25, 15314/25, 24887/25 AND 26192/25
3. Has there been an interference with the applicants’ freedom of expression within the meaning of Article 10 § 1 of the Convention? If so, was that interference prescribed by law and necessary in terms of Article 10 § 2 (see Ibrahimov and Mammadov v. Azerbaijan, nos. 63571/16 and 5 others, §§ 164-174, 13 February 2020)?
CASE SPECIFIC QUESTION IN RESPECT OF APPLICATIONS NOS. 18839/24, 25876/24, 26697/24, 26700/24, 26721/24, 31659/24 AND 32798/24
4. Did the applicants have at their disposal an effective domestic remedy for their complaints under Article 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention, as required by Article 13 of the Convention (see Mursaliyev and Others, cited above, §§ 41-47)?
CASE SPECIFIC QUESTION IN RESPECT OF APPLICATION NO. 18839/24
5. Has there been an interference with the applicant’s right to respect for her private life, within the meaning of Article 8 § 1 of the Convention, as a result of the travel ban imposed on her? If so, was that interference in accordance with the law and necessary in terms of Article 8 § 2 (see Mursaliyev and Others, cited above, §§ 48-49)?
APPENDIX
No.
Application no.
Case name
Lodged on
Applicant
Year of Birth
Place of Residence
Nationality
Represented by
1.
18839/24
Ismayilova v. Azerbaijan
17/07/2024
Khadija Rovshan gizi ISMAYILOVA
1976
Baku
Azerbaijani
Javad JAVADOV
2.
24731/24
Chiragov v. Azerbaijan
05/08/2024
Rasif Rasim oglu CHIRAGOV
1993
Baku
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
3.
25876/24
Kamilsoy v. Azerbaijan
03/09/2024
Narmin Intigam gizi KAMILSOY
1992
Baku
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
4.
26697/24
Ismayilov v. Azerbaijan
19/08/2024
Ahmad Nofal oglu ISMAYILOV
2000
Baku
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
5.
26700/24
Rustambayli v. Azerbaijan
17/08/2024
Murad Hikmat oglu RUSTAMBAYLI
1995
Khirdalan
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
6.
26721/24
Gahraman v. Azerbaijan
17/08/2024
Elgiz Jamal oglu GAHRAMAN
1986
Baku
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
7.
31483/24
Aslanova v. Azerbaijan
24/10/2024
Sahila Sadagat gizi ASLANOVA
1986
Baku
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
8.
31659/24
Hasanova v. Azerbaijan
24/10/2024
Narmin Fakhraddin gizi HASANOVA
1983
Baku
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
9.
31663/24
Yagublu v. Azerbaijan
24/10/2024
Naila Rahim gizi YAGUBLU
1966
Khirdalan
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
10.
31666/24
Alyarli v. Azerbaijan
24/10/2024
Minakhanim Najaf gizi ALYARLI
1994
Baku
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
11.
32798/24
Jafarova v. Azerbaijan
11/10/2024
Nigar Ilham gizi JAFAROVA
1998
Baku
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
12.
35916/24
Guliyev v. Azerbaijan
27/11/2024
Ilhamiz Mamed oglu GULIYEV
1982
Baku
Azerbaijani
Zibeyda SADIGOVA
13.
1552/25
Jafarov v. Azerbaijan
30/11/2024
Shahin Farizkhan oglu JAFAROV
1975
Baku
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
14.
15314/25
Valiyev v. Azerbaijan
24/04/2025
Togrul Seyran oglu VALIYEV
1991
Baku
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
15.
24887/25
Guliyeva v. Azerbaijan
27/07/2025
Ulviyya Alikishi gizi GULIYEVA
1993
Baku
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV
16.
26192/25
Sadigov v. Azerbaijan
02/08/2025
Vadil Niyamaddin oglu SADIGOV
1997
Shamakhi
Azerbaijani
Elchin SADIGOV