Akif Qurbanov - Head of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives and co-founder of the socio-political organization Platform III Republic Date of arrest: 6 March 2022 Charge: Articles 162-1 (Involvement to perform any work (services) without labor contract entering into force); 192.3.2 (Illegal business, committed with gaining an extra large-scale income); 193-1.3.1 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed by an organized group or a criminal organization (criminal association); 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed in large amount); 206.3.2 (Smuggling committed on preliminary arrangement by group of persons); 206.4 (Smuggling, committed by the organized group) and 213.2.1 (Evasion from payment of taxes, committed by the organized group) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. On 8 March 2024, the Baku City Khatai District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Akif Qurbanov in the form of arrest for a period of 4 months. The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended several times Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: Akif Qurbanov was detained by the officers of the Baku City General Police Department at the office of Platform III Republic in the afternoon of March 6, 2024. The office has been searched. His lawyer, Shahla Humbatova, stated, that "Akif Gurbanov said that €30,000 was seized from the office, the money was planted by the law enforcement officers themselves. In fact, 5-6 police officers had raided his office. Akif Qurbanov and Ruslan Izzatli, a member of the board of the Platform III Republic were closed into one of the rooms, and the police were able to do whatever they wanted. And then they allegedly found €30,000 in the office. Akif Qurbanov says that the money does not belong either to him or to the organization". According to Shahla Humbatova, the searches in the office and apartment were conducted without the lawyer's involvement, "I found out about the detention only after the office had been searched. But the police officers did not allow me to attend the search in the apartment." She also noted that some personal documents were seized during the search at Qurbanov's apartment. On 6 March 2024, there were conducted searches at the offices of Toplum TV and Platform III Republic, and with several employees were detained on suspicion of smuggling. Those actions have alarmed both human rights activists and media observers, who considered them as part of a broader campaign of the suppression of dissent in the country. The EU criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for cracking down on the staff of Toplum TV and Platform III Republic. 62