Araz Guliev is persecuted in Azerbaijan for his journalism, said his brother

A criminal case under five articles against Araz Guliev, the editor-in-chief of the online religious edition xeber44.com, which was transferred to the Lankoran Court of Grave Crimes, has to do with Guliev's journalism and his coverage of believers' protest against the ban on hijabs (headscarves) in schools of Azerbaijan, Azer Guliev, Araz's brother is confident.

Araz Guliev was detained on September 8 during a protest action held by believers at the international folklore festival in the city of Masally. According to his brother Azer Guliev, a group of believers protested against performance at the disco, held for the guests of the festival, of topless dancers. Guliev was arrested on September 10 for two months Masally District Court. According to his advocate Fariz Namazly, the article under which Guliev was charged of his disorderly conduct (Article 221.2 of the Criminal Code) was subsequently excluded from the criminal case; and instead five new articles were added: 228 (illegal possession of arms and ammunition), 233 (breach of public order), 283 (inciting ethnic hatred), 315.2 (resisting the police with use of force) and 324 (insulting the Azerbaijani flag) of the Criminal Code.

According to investigators, a grenade was found at Araz Guliev's home. Guliev himself denies all the charges and insists that the grenade had been planted on him, said his advocate Fariz Namazly.