Blogger Zaur Gurbanly arrested for 15 days in Azerbaijan

The Ministry of Interior Affairs of Azerbaijan reported arrest of Zaur Gurbanly, blogger and participant of civil movement "Nida" ("Exclamation"), for a 15-day's term two days after his detention.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that Zaur Gurbanly aged 25, lawyer by education, was detained on September, 29, in the town of Khyrdalan (15 kilometers distance from Baku). The detainee was delivered to the office of youth organization "Positive Changes" in Baku where some persons wearing civilian attire confiscated "Nida's" printed matter, among it a booklet of "Nida" ready for distribution with a silhouette of a man looking like President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev and a superscription "I will resign in 2013 if you become member of "Nida". After search Gurbanly was carried away in an unknown direction.

According to representative of Press Service of the Ministry of Interior Affairs Orkhan Mansurzade, the activist put up resistance to the police at the moment of detention "for the reason of operative information of illegal drug traffic".

"Upon a judgment of Apsheron district court he was acknowledged guilty of insubordination to legal demands of the police personnel carrying out their professional duties according to clause 310.1 of Code of administrative violations of the Republic of Azerbaijan and sentenced to 15 days of arrest", Mansurzade said.

According to Mansurzade, "during search illegal documents and other objects were impounded from Zaur Gurbanly's office. Investigation is currently in process", Mansurzade added.

The young man's father Araz Gurbanov, in his turn, reported that in the morning he received a call from Chief Department of fight against organized crime (CDFOC) of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and was told that Zaur Gurbanly was kept there.

At present attorney Asabali Mustafaev went to CDFOC of the Ministry to see his client.

Meanwhile, Zaur Gurbanly's comrades fear that after the end of the term of administrative arrest a criminal case might be initiated against the activist. They also point out that persons sentenced to administrative arrest are not kept in CDFOC but moved to a special temporary isolation ward in Bingadinsky district of Baku.

Members of "Nida" deny the possibility of Zaur Gurbanly's involvement in illegal drug traffic and consider his arrest politically motivated.

Is should be mentioned that "Nida" movement created in February of 2011 took active part in protest actions of the opposition in March and April of 2011 and April of 2012. In his blog Zaur Gurbanly used to speak ironically of the politicians and officials' activities in Azerbaijan, wrote about corruption and violations of human rights.