On June 10, the Rennes Assize Court delivered a landmark ruling regarding a brutal attack on Azerbaijani political exile and blogger Muhammad Mirzali. On March 14, 2021, in Nantes, six men stabbed Mirzali 16 to 17 times and attempted to cut out his tongue to silence his criticism of President Ilham Aliyev and the state oil company SOCAR. The court recognized the political motive, sentencing main defendant Emin Gasymov to 30 years and others to terms between 5 and 25 years. Evidence suggested a network linked to senior Azerbaijani officials and professional killers. Reporters Without Borders described the verdict as a "red line" against transnational repression. Despite the ruling, Mirzali remains in isolation under 24-hour police protection, while his family continues to face intimidation and blackmail efforts intended to silence his journalistic work.