Rashad Matlab oglu Mursalov – theologian Date of arrest: 12 December 2024 Charge: Articles 12.1, 218.2 (Participation in a criminal community (criminal organisation) or in an association of organisers, leaders, or other representatives of organised groups by the individuals who committed crimes outside the borders of the Azerbaijan Republic), 12.3.214- 3.1 (Conducting training for the purpose of terrorism by the individuals who committed crimes outside the borders of the Azerbaijan Republic) и 283-1.3 (Creation of and participation in a stable group involved in training activities or armed conflicts outside the borders of the Azerbaijan Republic) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. On 12 December 2024, Rashad Mursalov was sentenced to 4 months in a pre-trial detention center. The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended several times Sentence: On 14 November 2025, the Ganja City Court for Serious Crimes sentenced to 13 years in prison Judge: Abdulla Mammadov Sentence: On 25 February 2026, the Ganja City Court of Appeal issued a sentence downward the period of imprisonment from 13 to 11 years. Judge: Rafiq Jafarov 191 Conclusion: Rashad Mursalov, a 36-year-old resident of the village of Takynly in the Tovuz District, was sentenced to 3.5 years’ imprisonment in March 2011. After his release in September 2014, Rashad Mursalov left for Iran. According to the prosecution, in Iran, he joined the “Huseyniyyun” organisation, created by Tohid Ibrahimbeyli, an Azerbaijani citizen who is actually on the wanted list, and together with other Azerbaijanis participated in combat training and armed conflicts in Syria from January 2016 until early December 2024. During that period, Rashad Mursalov travelled to Azerbaijan on a regular basis. In 2024, he again arrived in Azerbaijan, and then went to Uzbekistan in search of work. Upon his return from Uzbekistan, Rashad Mursalov was arrested at the airport on 12 December 2024. However, in court the accused, Rashad Mursalov, categorically rejected the charges brought against him and stated that in 2014 he travelled to Iran to receive a religious education in the city of Mashhad. In Iran he was engaged solely in studying, and although there were many Azerbaijanis who left Iran for Syria, he did not communicate with them. He stated that he had never been to Syria and accordingly had not participated in any combat operations there. From 2014 to 2024, over a period of 10 years, he studied in Iran while repeatedly travelling to Azerbaijan, the last time being in 2018. During his stays in his homeland, he was summoned to the Tovuz branch of the State Security Service (SSS) to provide explanations, and they inquired about his activities in Iran, after which he was released and again returned to Iran to continue his studies. Upon returning in 2024, he was looking for permanent employment and, on his friends’ advice, travelled to Uzbekistan in the hope to find a job there. In Uzbekistan, he learned from his friends that he had been on the wanted list since 2018. In order to find out the reason, he returned to Azerbaijan. At the border, as soon as he showed his passport, he was detained for about five hours, after which the police officers took him to the airport police department, and then the SSS officers took him away. At the SSS, he was informed that he had indeed been on the wanted list since 2018, and that the testimony of some individuals who were in Syria had mentioned his name as well, and that he was being accused of high treason. During the investigation, Rashad Mursalov was subjected to psychological and physical pressure and signed the indictment document. However, at the trial, he categorically rejected the charges brought against him and asked the Court to issue a fair ruling and release him, since he considered himself innocent. During the court proceedings, the prosecution summoned 11 people who had fought in Syria. However, all of them stated that they had never met Rashad Mursalov, and were seeing him for the first time. Rashad Mursalov’s wife stated, “The reason for Rashad’s arrest is his religious education in Iran. We repeatedly demanded the Court to reveal some kind of evidence. However, the prosecution had nothing. Simply because there is none. The prosecutor asked in surprise if people really study so long in Iran, 10 years? Why did you stay there so long? All our rights were violated during the trial. We are poor people and could not afford a good lawyer. And the state-appointed lawyer advised us to keep quiet and added that there would be no changes in Rashad Mursalov’s case. Everything would be exactly as the investigation had decided. Because the instructions regarding the verdict had been received from above.” 192