Azerbaijani activist, Fuad Ismailov, re-arrested under narcotic article

Fuad Ismailov, an activist, has been arrested for 60 days in Azerbaijan. He is charged with drug use. This is his second arrest within the last three months on the same charge. NGOs believe that he is being persecuted for political reasons.

Fuad Ismailov is known in Azerbaijan for posting a video of violations at the February 9 parliamentary elections. Besides, after the elections, he wrote on the wall of the building opposite the Central Election Commission (CEC) a phrase expressing protest against the biased consideration of election complaints.

According to Fikret Djafarli, a member of the "Classical" Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), Ismailov has claimed that the drugs were planted into his pocket.

Mr Djafarli is sure that Ismailov was arrested under a fabricated case.

In recent years, the practice of arresting opposition activists has become widespread in Azerbaijan, said Elshan Gasanov, the head of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners.

"Last year, more than 100 activists were arrested; some were put in jail for 2-3 times by sentencing them to 30 days of arrest. Apparently, Fuad Ismailov will set a new anti-record. He's been arrested for the second time within three months for 60 days," Mr Gasanov has added.

Namizad Safarov, the coordinator of the Committee against Repressions and Torture, treats Ismailov's arrest as unjustified. "The fact that after detention he was not allowed to contact his family and invite an advocate of his choice is a gross violation and testifies to the bias of the police towards him," Mr Safarov has stated.