Six Azerbaijani activists remain under arrest

The court session to consider the complaints against the arrest of five members of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) and Mekhti Ibragimov, a son of Mamed Ibragim, a member of the PFPA Presidium was held without the participation of the defendants. None of the complaints were satisfied.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that 46 activists were detained during and after the rally in support of the Azerbaijani Army in Baku on July 15. Mekhti Ibragimov was arrested for three months on charges of spreading coronavirus. On July 24, Fuad Gakhramanly, a member of the PFPA Presidium, was also arrested in connection with the rally.

Rufat Safarov, the executive director of the human rights organization "Defence Line", believes that the defendants had been tortured and "due to traces of violence, they are not taken out of custody places."

Djamil Gasanli, the head of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF), shares the same opinion.

"We have information from reliable sources that the arrested activists were tortured and forced to testify against themselves and Ali Kerimli, the PFPA leader ... Fuad Gakhramanly, one of the party leaders, has already been accused of attempting to seize power by force," Mr Gasanli has stated.

Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist and a member of the working group for compiling lists of political prisoners, believes that the defendants had been arrested on trumped-up charges.

In her opinion, international organizations – the UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe – should not remain indifferent, and should create an independent commission to investigate the abuse of the Azerbaijani authorities over the situation with COVID-19.