An Azerbaijani court has remanded an opposition activist into custody

The court remanded Vugar Gadirli, an activist with the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, in pretrial detention for three months. He is accused of illegal possession of weapons. The party claimed that security forces planted the weapons on him during a search.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," on December 12, security forces took Vugar Gadirli, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan in the Imishli district, to an unknown location, and searched his home and workplace.

Baku's Narimanov District Court has ordered three months of pretrial detention for Vugar Gadirli, an activist with the PFPA's Imishli district organization, the party's press secretary, Natig Adilov, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"It turns out the court's decision was made on December 13th, but this was only revealed today (December 15th). Vugar Gadirli was accused of illegal possession of a firearm. However, this is a false accusation. On December 12th, Vugar Gadirli was detained in the Imishli district, and searches were conducted at the cafe where he works and at his home. During the search, a weapon was "discovered" in his home, which, according to Vugar Gadirli's family, was planted there by plainclothes police officers themselves. Vugar Gadirli was then taken to an unknown location. Now it turns out he was brought to Baku and falsely charged," Adilov noted.

The party believes Gadirli is being persecuted for political reasons. "This is yet another act of lawlessness within the repressive policy against the PFPA. The fact that the court remanded Vugar Gadirli in custody without choosing another preventive measure, given his injury in the Karabakh war and his status as a second-degree disabled person, confirms bias against the PFPA activist and the execution of a political order," Adilov said.

According to him, the party will hire a lawyer to defend Gadirli in order to appeal his arrest. "The PFPA remains the main target of repression."

An employee of the Narimanov District Court confirmed the information about Gadirli's arrest.