Azerbaijan: Grandmother supports grandson jailed for anti-war slogans – video
Azerbaijani pacifist accused of treason
Bahruz Samadov — a PhD student at Charles University in Prague, political scientist and outspoken opponent of war — was arrested in Azerbaijan on charges of treason.
On 21 August last year, officers from the State Security Service (SSS) searched his home and confiscated personal belongings. Samedov claims he was pressured by the SSS and maintains his innocence.
On 23 August 2024, the Sabail District Court in Baku ordered the pre-trial detention of activist Bahruz Samadov for four months under Article 274 of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code (treason). His detention has since been extended.
Bahruz Samadov is a graduate of the Central European University’s Faculty of International Relations and is currently pursuing a PhD in Political Science at Charles University. The young political analyst has focused his research on hegemony and political discourse in Azerbaijan, drawing on post-structuralist and psychoanalytic theory.
The only family member Bakhruz has is his 83-year-old grandmother, Zibeyde Osmanova. She believes her grandson is innocent.
“I ask them (the officials discussing Bakhruz’s case – ed.): what exactly is this ‘state treason’? They answer: ‘Your grandson wants peace with the Armenians. Bakhruz has written such articles, we’ve read them.’
Yes, he says: ‘Let’s live in peace, end the wars, sign a peace agreement.’ That’s what Bakhruz wants—he wants peace. Like all young people, Bakhruz is one of them, and he wants peace too,” says Zibeyde Osmanova.
Samadov’s grandmother is convinced that Bakhruz was arrested for his desire for peace:
“He asked me, ‘How did you used to live with Armenians?’ I told him we lived very peacefully. He said, ‘That’s how we should live now too—always in peace, all nations, all neighbors. Especially since we’re neighbors, we must live peacefully. I want friendship too.’ Bakhruz always dreamed of peace—no hatred, no war.”
The trial of the activist is ongoing at the Baku Serious Crimes Court. While the preliminary hearing was held publicly, reports say that future sessions will be closed.
Chairman of the National Council and historian Jamil Hasanli, commenting on the closed nature of the trial, told JAMnews:
“What exactly has Bakhrus done to warrant a closed-door trial? He lived a transparent life. He expressed his views openly—in the press, in speeches, in articles, and on social media. What kind of ‘secret activities’ could he possibly have committed to justify a closed trial? This is being done to strip him of public support.”
The activist’s lawyer, Zibeyde Sadigova, told JAMnews that her motions in court were not granted.
“I requested the termination of the criminal case on acquittal grounds. From the very beginning, we have stated that there is not a single piece of evidence in the case materials proving Bakhruz’s guilt.
All the evidence referred to by the investigation and the court consists of messages extracted from his phone. But even among those, there is nothing that holds evidential weight.”
Bakhruz Samedov is a contributor to the regional outlet OC Media and the Baku Research Institute. He is known for his critical articles about the Azerbaijani authorities and has actively participated in peacebuilding projects implemented by international organisations.
The academic community of Charles University issued a statement regarding his arrest, saying that the Faculty of Social Sciences is following the news of Bakhruz Samedov’s detention in Baku with concern.
“The faculty leadership, together with the leadership of Charles University, is actively working to collect information from reliable sources,” the statement reads.
Grandmother Zibeyde Osmanova says that Bahruz has no one but her:
“It’s just me. His mother, his father — they’ve all passed away. That’s it. He has no one else, no other relatives.”
Since her grandson’s arrest, her health has deteriorated: “My blood pressure often spikes. I used to take medicine twice a day, but now it’s three or four times. I’ve lost my appetite completely. I can’t cook, I struggle to swallow even a piece of bread with water. That’s how I fool myself into eating. But the dizziness and nausea won’t go away. I can’t sleep at night.”
