Bakhtiyar Hajiyev – blogger and civil activist Date of arrest: 9 December 2022 Charge: Articles 221.1 (Hooliganism) and 289.1 (Disrespect to court) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was detained on 9 December 2022 on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court.
On the same day, the Baku City Khatai District Court arrested him for 1 month and 20 days.
On 15 December 2022, Hajiyev went on a hunger strike demanding his release.
On 28 December he ended his hunger strike after persistent calls from the public and family members.
On 9 January 2023, the Court of Appeal refused his release and he resumed his hunger strike.
On 21 January, the Baku City Khatai District Court extended the term of his arrest for a month, and on 23 February for another two months until 28 April 2023.
On 28 February 2023, on the 51st day of the hunger strike, Hajiyev stopped his hunger strike.
On 22 July 2023, the Baku City Khatai District Court, based on the petition of the investigating authority, extended the period of pre-trial detention public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev for another 2 months 10 days until 8 October 2023.
On 3 October, 2023, the Baku City Khatai District Court extended the term of arrest of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev for another three months.
The defense considered this decision unlawful.
According to lawyers, now the period of pre-trial arrest of B.
Hajiyev will be 13 months, and the investigation period will be 16 months, which does not correspond to the gravity of the charges against him.
The defense will appeal.
On 13 November 2023, Aqil Lahij, B.Hajiyev's lawyer, informed the journalists that his client’s investigation case had been completed and would soon be sent to the Baku Court of Serious Crimes.
The lawyer also pointed out that if initially charges were brought against Bakhtiyar Hajiyev under 2 Articles, but by now the investigation had added another 6; thus, the following Articles of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic are brought against Bakhtiyar Hajiyev: 192.1 (Implementation of business activity without registration (tax registration) in the order provided by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan), 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed in large amount), 206.1 (Smuggling, is moving large amount through customs border of the Republic of Azerbaijan of goods or other subjects), 213.1. (Evasion from payment of taxes in significant amount), 221.2.2 (Hooliganism committed with resistance to representative of the authority, acting as on protection of a social order or stopping infringement of a social order or with resistance to other person), 289.1 (Disrespect to court, insult of participants of proceeding), 320.1 (Fake of certificate or other official document giving the rights or releasing from duties, with a view of its use or selling of such document, as well as manufacturing in same purposes or selling of counterfeit state awards of the Azerbaijan Republic, stamps, seals, forms) and 320.2 (Use of obviously counterfeit documents).
Sentence: On 13 January 2025, the Baku City Court for Serious Crimes sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.
The court also ruled to confiscate his flat and money in his bank accounts and ban him from educational work for 1 year after his release.
Judge: Ali Mammadov 6 Place of detention: Penal Colony № 6 at the Boyuk Shor settlement in Baku City Nizami District Conclusion: On 9 December 2022, the day before the International Human Rights Day, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested on charges of hooliganism and disrespect for court.
On the same day, the Khatai District Court arrested him for 1 month and 20 days.
He was abducted twice by law enforcement agencies and subjected to physical and psychological pressure by them.
B.
Hajiyev criticized the Ministry of Internal Affairs and personally the minister Vilayat Eyvazov.
Mr.
Hajiyev, speaking in court, rejected the charges against him and said that he was being persecuted for his political activities, including for criticizing the government at international forums.
