Baku court leaves religious activist in custody

Khikmet Agaev, an activist of the movement "Muslim Unity", filed an appeal against his arrest. During the consideration of his appeal, the activist denied the accusations of violating the quarantine regime and disobeying the police. Khikmet Agaev also claimed being tortured. However, the court dismissed his appeal.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Khikmet Agaev was detained on April 10, when he was transporting food aid packages for low-income families. The activist did not have an SMS permission to leave home. The police did not accept the activist's arguments that he was delivering food aid to those in need. On April 12, the court sentenced him to 25 days of arrest, and on April 17, Khikmet Agaev informed his relatives that he was tortured.

"Khikmet confirmed that policemen tortured him in order to get a code for his mobile phone. He showed judges his swelling fingers," said Arzu Abdullah, a member of the Public Committee for the Protection of Rights of Arrested Islamists.

Khikmet Agaev said that the policemen asked about the reasons for his help to people and sources of his funds.

"Khikmet was shocked that he was subjected to inhuman treatment for distributing food aid. He said that he helped people at the expense of his own money," Arzu Abdullah added.

Elshan Gasanov, the head of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners, doubts that the Prosecutor's Office will hold an unbiased consideration of the complaint about torture.

The arrest of Khikmet Agaev was condemned by the Public Committee against Repression and Torture in Azerbaijan.