"Muslim Unity" activist complains about torture to the court

At the trial, Bakhtiyar Bagirov, an activist of the "Muslim Unity" Movement, has complained about being tortured after detention. The court has ignored his statement.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Bagirov was detained on February 6. His whereabouts became known only on February 11, said Ogtai Gyulyalyev, the coordinator of the Centre for the Protection of Political Prisoners.

"Bagirov said that on February 6, after namaz (prayer) in the mosque, he went with a comrade to a teahouse in Baku. An unknown person called him and said that he was from Akhsan Nuruzade (an activist of the "Muslim Unity" movement, convicted in 2018, – note of the "Caucasian Knot"), and asked for a meeting," said Djavad Djavadov, an advocate.

At the meeting place, law enforcers placed Bagirov into a car. "According to Bakhtiyar, he was beaten up there for five days. They explained this by the fact that he wrote in social networks about torture of believers," said Djavadov.

Bagirov was arrested for 15 days on charges of petty hooliganism.

Mr Gyulyalyev believes that Bagirov was arrested on a trumped-up accusation.

"We are convinced that he was arrested for his posts in social networks about torturing religious activists," he said.

Bagirov wrote about the torture of Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the "Muslim Unity" and other members of the movement, in particular, Abbas Guseinov and Djabbar Djabbarov.