Azerbaijan: policeman demands to arrest opposition activist

A policeman has sued Gyulnara Ragimova, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), demanding to arrest her for placing his photo on the Facebook*. Human rights defenders treat the lawsuit as unjustified.

Seimur Imanov, a policeman of the post-and-patrol service of the Nasimi District Police Department of Baku, demands to bring the woman to justice under articles on slander and insult, each of which provides for up to six months in prison.

"I wrote that on July 20 I was detained at a protest action. Aziz Mamiev was with me (an activist of the "Musavat" Party was arrested for 30 days, – note of the "Caucasian Knot")," Gyulnara has explained.

She claims that Mamiev was beaten by law enforcers, including the policeman, whose photo she has posted.

The case against Ragimova was taken under control by the human rights NGO "Defence Line". Zafar Akhmedov, a member of the NGO, has noted that Ragimova is known for participating in protests, and if the court sentences her, "it will be a politically motivated sentence."

Namizad Safarov, a former member of the Bar Association, has doubted the legitimacy of the charges against the activist.

"Yes, according to the law, one can't post a photo of a person without his/her permission, but here we are talking about non-private life. The policeman is depicted in uniform during his service," Mr Safarov has explained.

Earlier, Ragimova was detained and fined for taking part in protests. She was detained at the action on December 15, 2021, where the protesters demanded to release the hunger-striking activist, Salekh Rustamov, from custody.