ARRESTS IN FEBRUARY 2019
06 February
Bakhtiyar Bagirov
According to Rakurs.tv website, at about 8:30 p.m. Bakhtiyar Bagirov, a member of the Muslim Unity Movement (MUM), drank tea with his friends in a teahouse near “Sahibazzaman” mosque in Bakikhanov settlement on the outskirts of Baku. At that time, he received a call from an unknown man who told him that he had just met with Bakhtiyar’s friend, a convicted believer, Ahsan Nuruzade, in Colony 6 and wanted to convey important news from the latter. The person who called also added that he would be waiting for Bakhtiyar near the mosque next to the Araz supermarket. Bakhtiyar Bagirov along with his friend went to the specified place. But there they were surrounded by several people in civilian clothes, who forcibly dragged Bakhtiyar Bagirov into the car, then beat up his friend and kicked him out. Immediately after that, Bagirov’s friends called the police. Bakhtiyar’s friend who had been beaten up by unknown people, told to the police officers that he had recognized one of the attackers; he mentioned one of the employees of the Main Department for Combating Organized Crime in Baku.
That incident took place literally the day after Bakhtiyar Bagirov distributed a video on a social network disapproving the use of torture against Tale Bagirzade and Abbas Huseynov.
11 February
The law enforcement agencies did not inform either Bakhtiyar Bagirov’s family or the public about his detention for the next five days following the incident. Just on the 11th of February it was announced that he had been arrested for the period of 20 days and was held in the Binagadi District court in Baku. However, they did not indicate the reason of his arrest and the exact court name.
13 February
Tural Allahverdiyev
According to the agency Turan and the Caucasus Knot website a religious activist Tural Allahverdiyev, known on Facebook as “Tural Divana”, was detained in front of his house by unknown people in civil clothes and driven to unknown location. His neighbours have observed Tural’s detention. There was no information about him for 24 hours. Just in the evening of February 14 his family was informed by the police officers that T. Allahverdiyev had been arrested for 20 days under Article 535.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences (disobedience to the police representative’s legitimate demands) by decision of the Baku Binagadi Court.
Allahverdiyev is known for his calls to collect donations on social networks in order to help the political prisoners’ families and purchase school supplies for their children. He also objected the torture that had been used against the leader of the MUM Tale Bagirzade and religious activists, Abbas Huseynov and Jabbar Jabbarov in Gobustan prison.
22 February
The hearing to consider a complaint of one of the MUM activists, Bakhtiyar Baghirov was held in the Baku Court of Appeal. According to the Turan agency, it became known that the police officially registered the day of his arrest on the 11th of February whereas he was detained on the 6th of February. The same day, The Baku City Narimanov District Court sentenced Bakhtiyar Bagirov to 15 days(not to 20 days as previously said to his relatives) of administrative arrest on charges of disorderly conduct; in court the police representatives declared that a believer was walking down the street and cursed.
As B. Bagirov stated he was kidnapped in front of his friend Fikrat Mammadov who reported the incident to the 102 service of the Interior Ministry and the ombudsman office. However, the law enforcement officials did not release any information pertaining to the fate or whereabouts of B. Bagirov to his family and lawyer.
During the trial the accuser’s lawyer Javad Javadov requested for interrogation of the arrested F. Mammadov’s friend, and also for viewing video recordings from the cameras installed on the supermarket “Araz” building as well as on other located facilities nearby. However, the court refused to grant lawyer’s requests.
There was also a question concerning the 6-day-period while the arrested believer was held at the General Department for Combating Organized Crime in Baku. According to B. Bagirov’s statement, he was constantly beaten up by 5-6 people. The reason of his torture was distribution a publication on social networks of a video derogating use of torture against the believers Tale Bagirzade and Abbas Huseynov.
But Judge Hasan Akhmadov dismissed Bakhtiyar Bagirov’s complaint