Defendants tortured in case on Ganja riots, their relatives complain

In the cases on the attempted assassination of the Ganja Mayor and on the killing of two policemen, defendants were tortured, while law enforcers had no evidence of their guilt, relatives of the arrested persons complained.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 3, 2018, there was an assassination attempt on Elmar Veliev, the head of the Ganja administration. Yunis Safarov, a 35-year-old native of Ganja, was detained. On July 10, in Ganja, about 200 people gathered outside the administration building and demanded to investigate the actions of Elmar Veliev. The police dispersed the rally. Two police officers were killed in clashes with the protesters.

"It seems that the events in Ganja were used to start repressions against believers ... During special operations, at least six suspects were killed. There is a question why no measures were taken to capture them alive," stated Ogtai Gyulyalyev, the head of the Centre for the Protection of Political Prisoners.

According to him, 51 people appeared in court. Of them, 14 were sentenced to 5-8 years of imprisonment.

Sabina Nazarova, a spouse of Elvin Nazarov, claims that her husband was beaten and tortured with electric current.

Zoya Akperova, a mother of arrested Nizami Akperov, also claimed that her son had confessed under torture.

Elshan Gasanov, the coordinator of the "Union for the Freedom of Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan" (UFPPA), suggests that believers are most at risk of torture.

"Repressions against believers can always be explained to the West by the need to stop religious extremism," Elshan Gasanov explained.