18:05, 5 February 2018

Two supporters of "Muslim Unity" arrested in Azerbaijan

The residents of the village gather stones and bars in Imam Huseyn Square. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

Samir Babaev and Makhir Guliev, activists of the "Muslim Unity", have been arrested in Azerbaijan for illegal drug dealing and disobeying the police.

On January 25, 2017, the court sentenced Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the "Muslim Unity", to 20 years in prison for riots in Nardaran. His seventeen supporters also received long prison terms.

On October 3, 2017, Samir Babaev, a resident of the dwelling settlement of Mashtaga, was summoned for interrogation, a source from the movement told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Makhir Guliev, another activist and a brother of Abbas Guliev, who had been sentenced to 14.5 years in prison for the riots in Nardaran, was arrested on February 5 this year for 30 days on charges of disobeying the police.

Both young people "were not allowed to contact their relatives after the detention and to invite an advocate," said a source from the "Muslim Unity".

"We believe that our activists are persecuted for their activeness in social networks on the Internet and participation in oppositional actions," the source has added.

Elshan Gasanov, the head of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners, has also expressed doubts about the truthfulness of the charges brought against the arrested young activists.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent