Elvin Mubariz oglu Zeynalov – believer Date of arrest: 31 January 2025 Charge: Article 234.4.3 (Illegal manufacturing, purchase, storage, transportation, transfer or selling of narcotics, psychotropic substances committed in large amount) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
On 1 February 2025, the Baku City Narimanov District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Elvin Zeynalov in the form of arrest for a period of 4 months.
The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended Sentence: On 20 June 2025, the Baku City Court for Serious Crimes issued a verdict: since the prosecution failed to provide any convincing evidence in the course of the trial, the Judge substituted the previous Article of the Prosecution with a new one, 234.1-1 (Illegal acquisition or storage of drugs or psychotropic substances without the purpose of sale in an amount exceeding the amount necessary for personal consumption, committed in a large amount) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
And afterwards Elvin Zeynalov was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment Judge: Kamil Aliyev Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: Elvin Zeynalov, a religious activist living in the village of Mashtaga on the Absheron Peninsula, was engaged in casual labour and used part of his earnings to provide financial assistance to the families of arrested individuals.
At midday, 31 January 2025, he was detained by some men in civilian clothes in front of a shop outside his home.
According to his relatives, in the evening Elvin Zeynalov was brought home by the people in black and their house had been searched.
They took Elvin Zeynalov's trousers from the wardrobe, put marijuana in his pocket, then ‘seized’ the drugs and made a video.
Then they took away the activist.
However, the very same day the police brought him back home and conducted another announcing that they had found marijuana.
After that, Zeynalov was again taken away.
Zeynalov's sister said that the police had put something in her brother's trouser pocket in front of her eyes before announcing that they had found drugs in his pocket.
His relatives tried to find out Elvin Zeynalov’s whereabouts and applied to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ombudsman's Office.
Only on 1 February 2025 their requests were fruitful.
According to his sister, Tarana Zeynalova, “Later that evening we finally received an official confirmation that Elvin had been held in the Main Department for Combating Organised Crime within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
He was accused of a drug-related offence.
This is a blatant lie.” 193
