Azerbaijan: an updated list of political prisoners
The Baku-based Human Rights Club has released a new list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan. The list outlines cases of 142 persons who are currently in detention or imprisoned for politically motivated reasons.
Among these are journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, civic and political activists, and religious followers, many arrested in connection with exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association. The release of the list comes just eight days ahead of Azerbaijan’s 9th October presidential election.
The following is a list of cases of politically motivated detention and imprisonment in Azerbaijan, current as of 1 October 2013. The Baku-based Human Rights Club developed this list using the criteria set out by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Resolution 1900 from 3 October 2012.
In compiling this list, the Human Rights Club consulted with a wide range of other human rights organizations, examined previous lists of political prisoners and media reports, and interviewed lawyers and family members of prisoners. The Human Rights Club is developing a report-length version of this list, containing full case details, which is planned for release in January 2014.
The Human Rights Club notes that the number of politically motivated detentions and imprisonments has increased sharply since the defeat on 26 January 2013 of a key PACE resolution on “The follow-up to the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan.” At the time of the vote, there were 60 cases of alleged political prisoners included in then-rapporteur Christoph Strässer’s list. As of 1 October 2013, the Human Rights Club has documented 142 cases, underscoring the need for renewed attention by PACE to this issue.
The Human Rights Club further notes that three of the prisoners included in this list were on the original Council of Europe list of political prisoners in Azerbaijan from 2001, and yet they still have not been released: Elchin Amiraslanov, Arif Kazimov, and Safa Poladov.
Journalists and bloggers
- Alibayli, Sardar Mahammadali oglu – Nota Bene newspaper editor-in-chief
- Aliyev, Nijat Nazim oglu – www.azadxeber.az website editor-in-chief
- Allahverdiyev (Novruzoglu), Faramaz Novruz oglu – freelance journalist
- Guliyev, Araz Faiq oglu – www.xeber44.com website editor
- Hashimli, Parviz Kamran oglu – Bizim Yol newspaper correspondent
- Huseynov, Fuad Ogtay oglu – freelance journalist, Ujar region
- Mammadov, Hilal Alif oglu – Tolishi Sedo newspaper editor-in-chief and Talysh rights activist
- Ramazanov, Rashad Aghaaddin oglu – micro-blogger and religious
- Yagublu, Tofig Rashid oglu – Yeni Musavat newspaper correspondent and Deputy Chairman of the Musavat Party
- Zeynalli, Avaz Tapdig oglu – Khural newspaper editor-in-chief
Human rights defenders
- Amiraslanov, Ilham Seraslan oglu – activist of Kur Civil Society
- Mammadov, Bakhtiyar Heydar oglu – director of Inamla Huquq (“Law with Faith”) LLC
Youth activists
- Abdullayev, Umid – board member of the D18 movement
- Akhundov, Rashadat Fikrat – founder and board member of the N!DA civic movement
- Azizov, Mammad Rasim oglu – member of the N!DA civic movement
- Guliyev, Bakhtiyar Samandar oglu – member of the N!DA civic movement
- Gurbanli, Zaur Araz oglu – member of the N!DA civic movement
- Hasanov, Rashad Zeynalabdin – board member of the N!DA civic
- Malikov, Dashgin Alisefa oglu – member of the Popular Front Party youth movement and social media activist
- Mammadli, Uzeyir Mahammad – board member of the N!DA civic
- Mursalov, Rasul Maarif – member of the Popular Front Party youth
- Novruzlu, Shahin Ibrahim oglu – member of the N!DA civic movement
- Rustemzade, Ilkin Bakir oglu – member of the Azad Genclik (“Free Youth”) organization and social media activist
Political activists
- Hajiyev, Rahib – member of the Popular Front Party in the Surakhani region
- Mammadov, Gurban Jalal oglu – member of the opposition National Council and human rights lawyer
- Mammadov, Ilgar Eldar oglu – chairman and would-be presidential candidate of the Republican Alternative movement
- Penahli (Penahov), Nemat – chairman of the Azerbaijan National Statehood Party
- Rahim, Musa – member of the Popular Front Party
- Sadigov, Yadigar Sadig oglu – advisor to the chairman of the Musavat
Religious followers
- Abbasov, Elchin – religious activist
- Abbasov, Emin Feramiz oglu – religious follower and son of jailed religious leader Feramiz Abbasov
- Abbasov, Feramiz – religious leader and activist
- Abbasov, Ruhid Mehman oglu – religious activist
- Abdullayev, Khudaverdi – religious activist
- Aghadadashov, Tarlan Faig oglu – religious activist
- Aghali, Rza – religious activist
- Aghayev, Bakhtiyar Latif – religious activist
- Aghayev, Suraj – religious activist in the Masalli region
- Akhunzade, Rufulla Hojjetullah olgu – chairman of the Astara district branch of the Islamic Party
- Alakbarov, Ilham – member of the Islamic Party and brother of Yusif Alakbarov, chairman of the Ganja City branch of the Islamic Party
- Alakbarov, Taleh Nadir – religious activist
- Aliyev, Ali – religious activist
- Aliyev, Haji – religious activist
- Aliyev, Ilham – religious activist
- Aliyev, Nijat – religious activist and brother-in-law of jailed website editor Araz Guliyev
- Allahverdiyev, Rovshan Faig oglu – religious follower
- Asgarov, Royal – religious activist
- Baghirli, Seymur Sahil oglu – religious activist
- Baghirov, Taleh – theologian, religious activist
- Fataliyev, Arif – religious activist
- Gadimov, Elchin Adil oglu – religious activist
- Gahramanov, Nahid – religious activist
- Gambarov, Mammad Anvar oglu – religious activist
- Garayev, Rauf Nabi oglu – religious activist
- Gasimli, Ulfat Vahid oglu – religious activist
- Gasimov, Anar Asgar – religious activist
- Guliyev, Jeyhun Garyaghdi – religious activist
- Guliyev, Nasimi – religious activist
- Guliyev, Sakhavat – religious activist
- Guluyev, Muraday – religious activist
- Gurbanov, Bakhtiyar Yashar oglu – religious activist
- Hasanov, Elnur Saig – religious activist
- Hasanov, Seyyid Nasimi – religious activist
- Hashimov, Elshan Aliaga – religious activist
- Hatamov, Ilham Bahman – religious activist
- Huseynov, Elimkhan – religious activist
- Huseynov, Samir – religious activist
- Huseynov, Seymur – religious activist
- Isayev, Elsevar Eldar – religious activist
- Jamalov, Gorkhmaz – religious activist
- Karimov, Davud Tarlan – religious activist
- Kazimov, Khalid – religious activist
- Kishiyev, Namig Alisa – religious activist
- Lalakishiyev, Vahid Yusif oglu – religious activist
- Malikov, Anar – religious activist
- Mammadov, Aydin Janbakhish oglu – religious activist
- Mammadov, Elchin Alisafa ogul – religious activist
- Mammadov, Elchin Fizuli – religious activist
- Mammadov, Niyameddin – religious activist
- Mammadov, Nofal Khurshud oglu – religious activist
- Mammadrzayev, Firdovsi – member of the Islamic Party and brother-in-law of jailed Islamic Party chairman, Movsum Samadov
- Mehdiyev, Ramil Babakhan oglu – religious activist
- Mammadov, Sefer – religious activist
- Mirzayev, Yusif – religious activist
- Musayev, Ilgar – religious activist from the city of Ganja
- Nasirov, Elvin – religious activist
- Rasulov, Turkel Ramin oglu – religious activist
- Rzayev, Elshad Fikrat oglu – religious activist
- Rzayev, Sahil Khalid oglu – religious activist
- Salehov, Rauf Nizami oglu – religious activist
- Samadov, Elmar – religious activist
- Samadov, Dayanat – member of the Islamic Party and brother-in-law of jailed Islamic Party chairman, Movsum Samadov
- Samadov, Movsum Merdan oglu – Chairman of the Islamic Party
- Saniyev, Samir – religious activist
- Seferli, Jeyhun – religious activist
- Shikhaliyev, Telman Shirali – religious activist
- Suleymanov, Abgul – theologian and religious activist
- Tahirov, Ziya – religious activist
- Tofigi, Emin – religious activist
- Valishov, Bayramali Gurbanali – religious activist
- Valiyev, Dadash Tofig oglu – religious activist
- Valiyev, Ilgar – religious activist
- Valiyev, Ramil – religious activist
- Yahyayev, Aghali – religious activist
Prisoners serving life sentences
- Aliyev, Sadikh Mikayil oglu – former member of the OMON special police
- Amiraslanov, Elchin Samad oglu – former member of the OMON special police forces
- Huseynov, Maqsud Vagif oglu – son of the jailed former head of the Samukh District Executive Authority
- Gayibov, Intigam Yusif oglu– former member of the Garangush militia
- Huseynov, Vagif Rza oglu – former head of the Samukh District Executive
- Ismayilov, Rashid Nurulla – jailed in connection with the case against former Prime Minister Surat Huseynov
- Kazimov, Arif Nazir oglu – former member of the OMON special police
- Karimov, Dayanat Karim oglu – former member of the Special Purpose Police Department
- Maharramov, Nadir Eldar oglu – former member of the Garangush militia
- Mammadaliyev, Sahib Nuraddin oglu – former member of the OMON special police forces
- Mammadov, Mammad Ali oglu – combatant in the Karabakh conflict
- Mammadvaliyev, Sabuhi Seyfaddin oglu - jailed in connection with the case against former Prime Minister Surat Huseynov
- Mustafayev, Elshad Teyyub oglu - jailed in connection with the case against former Prime Minister Surat Huseynov
- Mustafayev, Hasan Huseyn oglu - jailed in connection with the case against former Prime Minister Surat Huseynov
- Mustafayev, Magsad Teyyub oglu - jailed in connection with the case against former Prime Minister Surat Huseynov
- Poladov, Safa Alim oglu – former member of the OMON special police
- Shahmuradov, Yashar Khasay oglu – former member of the Garangush Militia group
- Tahirov Aliyusif Damat oglu – former member of the OMON special police
Other cases
- Aghayev, Farid Nadir – jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Aliyev, Farhad – former Minister of Economic Development
- Aliyev, Jeyhun - jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Aliyev, Rashad – jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Beylerqizi Shamsiyya – member of the Union of Azerbaijani Journalists and Writers
- Dadashbayli, Said – leader of a group accused of an attempted coup d’état
- Farzullayev, Jeyhun – jailed in connection with the case against jailed Azerbaijan National Statehood Party Chairman Nemat Panahli
- Gojayev, Samir - jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Guliyev, Baybala - jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Guliyev, Nijat – former Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs
- Idrisov, Mikayil – jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Insanov, Ali – former Minister of Health
- Karimov, Jahangir - jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Karimov, Karamat Pasha oglu - jailed in connection with the case against former Prime Minister Surat Huseynov
- Karimov, Rasim - jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Latifov, Asif – former officer of the Special State Protection Service
- Mehbaliyev, Emin - jailed in connection with the coup-plotting case against Said Dadashbayli
- Muradverdiyev, Akif – former official of the Presidential Administration
- Safaraliyeva, Shafaq – resident who complained about the Zerdab District Executive Authority head Lutfali Babayev
- Seyidov, Elnur – brother-in-law of Popular Front Party chairman Ali Kerimli and Texnikabank official
photo by Abbas Atilay