Azerbaijan: arrests continue
Political arrests in Azerbaijan
A series of arrests continues in Azerbaijan. Today oppositionist Tofig Yagublu and civil activist Mahyaddin Orujov were arrested. Yagublu is accused of fraud, while Orujov is accused of drug trafficking. Both deny the charges and consider them revenge by the authorities for their social and political activities.
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An opposition politician and a fraud conviction
On December 15, by the decision of the Narimanov District Court of Baku, Tofig Yagublu, member of the opposition Musavat Party and coordinator of the National Council of Democratic Forces, was given a preventive measure in the form of arrest for 4 months. He is charged under Articles 178.3.2 (fraud with large-scale damage), 320.1 (forgery of official documents) and 320.2 (use of knowingly forged documents) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
Lawyer Neymat Kerimli told journalists that the investigation claims Yagublu “may hinder the investigation and go into hiding” if not detained.
The defense called this groundless. The lawyer drew the court’s attention to the fact that Yagublu is currently serving a suspended sentence, and he has faithfully complied with the requirements of this punishment.
As for the charges, Yagublu allegedly promised some person to organize political emigration, and on December 8 they agreed on it. On the 11th, a criminal case was opened on charges of fraud. The lawyer expressed doubt that the investigation could have established this so quickly.
Yagublu, for his part, denied the charge, linking the criminal case to his opposition activities.
Yagublu was detained on December 14. His house was searched. According to the politician’s wife Maya Yagublu, police “found 5,000 euros, 2,500 manats [about $1,500] and some dollars in the house.”
“I was surprised myself, there was not a penny in the house. Yesterday I borrowed 50 manats [about $30] from my neighbor when I went to the doctor. They planted it themselves, they found it themselves,” she said.
Yagublu faces a prison sentence of 7 to 12 years, according to the prosecution.
Political arrests in Azerbaijan
Over the past month a series of arrests of journalists, civil activists, and politicians critical of the authorities has continued. Intense arrests started with the leadership of the independent internet publication “Abzas Media”. To date, 5 people have already been arrested in the case of “Abzas Media”.
Who is Tofig Yagublu?
Yagublu is known as a critic of the authorities, was previously subjected to physical violence on numerous occasions, detained by the police and convicted.
In March 2014, he was convicted on charges of organizing riots in the town of Ismayilli. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison. The European Court of Human Rights recognized the violation of Yagublu’s rights during his arrest and ordered Azerbaijan to pay 24,000 euros to the activist. He was released early on March 17, 2016.
On October 19, 2019, Yagublu was arrested for 30 days after an opposition rally in Baku. After being released, he talked about being threatened and beaten by police.
Tofig Yagublu was detained on March 22, 2020 in Baku on charges of hooliganism. According to the materials of the criminal case, he committed an accident and beat up a married couple who were in the passenger compartment of another car. On September 3 of the same year he was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison. On September 18 – on the 18th day of his hunger strike, which he went on in the pre-trial detention center, the measure of restraint in the form of arrest was changed to house arrest by the decision of the Baku Court of Appeal.
Political arrests in Azerbaijan
He was also detained on December 23, 2022 at a protest action in the center of Baku demanding the release of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. By court decision, he was administratively arrested for 30 days. The court found Yagublu guilty of “petty hooliganism” and “disobeying the police”.
On January 5, 2023, Yagublu went on hunger strike. On January 22, he was released on the expiry of the 30-day administrative arrest.
A community activist and a drug charge
On the same day, December 15, public activist Mahyaddin Orujov was sentenced by court decision to 4 months of preliminary arrest. A criminal case was opened against him under Article 234.4.3 (Illegal manufacture, production, purchase, storage, transportation, forwarding or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their precursors on a large scale) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
On the same day, December 15, public activist Orujov was sentenced to 4 months of preliminary arrest by court decision. A criminal case was opened against him under Article 234.4.3 (Illegal manufacture, production, purchase, storage, transportation, forwarding or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their precursors on a large scale) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
On this charge, he faces imprisonment from 5 to 12 years.
On December 13, his relatives lost contact with Orujov. A day later they discovered he had been arrested.
More recently, on October 18, the activist was administratively arrested for 30 days on charges of petty hooliganism and disobedience to representatives of the authorities.
Orujov denied the charges and stated that the real reason for the arrest was his critical comments on social networks about the authorities.
After his release, he told journalists that he had been subjected to physical and psychological violence by police officers. The activist stated that he was threatened with rape.
“After he was released from custody, he made a statement about what happened to him. Now he is being persecuted for it,” Rufat Safarov, co-founder of the human rights organization Liniya Defensa, stated.
