Haji Valiyev – Chairman of the public association "Young Veterans" Date of arrest: 1 April 2025 Charge: Articles 186.1 (Deliberate destruction or damage of another's property which caused significant damage to a victim) and 221.3 (Hooliganism, committed using weapons or items used as weapons, if accompanied with application of violence against the victim, or destruction or damage of another's property) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
On 1 April 2025, the Baku City Khatai District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Haji Valiyev in the form of arrest for a period of 22 days.
The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended times.
Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: Haji Valiyev, a social activist and leader of the ‘Young Veterans’ association, was seriously wounded during the 2020 war in Karabakh, losing his right eye and experiencing serious problems with his left eye.
He has consistently defended the rights of wartime veterans, for which he has repeatedly been subjected to repression by the law enforcement authorities.
On 18 March 2025, he disclosed that the police had used violence against a group of the veterans engaged in street trading in the Baku City Yasamal District.
As a result, he was detained on fabricated charges on the night of 1 April 2025.
On 25 August 2025, while in custody in the Pre-trial Detention Centre, Haji Valiyev agreed to an interview with Ulviya Ali, a journalist, who was also detained in connection with the Meydan TV case, in the same facility.
In an interview, H.
Valiyev spoke about the real reasons for his detention and the torture he was subjected to.
According to him, the main reason for his arrest was his criticism of the government and his coverage of veterans' issues on social media, and in other media outlets, “I was arrested for my public activities and exposing the authorities' attitude towards the veterans.
I was detained on trumped-up charges.
To protest, I went on hunger strike.
As a result, I began feeling unwell.
On 26 June, the country's Armed Forces Day, I was placed in solitary confinement, where I was brutally beaten for four days.
My head was fractured, and I still have traces of head trauma and bruises.’ Veliyev said that his arrest had been inevitable, ‘Since I demanded justice, I knew that one day I would be arrested on false charges.’ He went on, in an interview, to recall that he had served on the front line for 10 years, 'We thought that there would be reforms after the war, yet the exact opposite has occurred.
The war veterans were not provided with the necessary assistance.
There is nothing sacred in the eyes of the authorities.
It makes no difference to them whether it is the family of someone who died in combat, a war veteran or an ordinary citizen; anyone who criticises the authorities will be arrested.' In conclusion, Valiyev emphasised that the activities of ‘Young Veterans’ were aimed at protecting their rights and providing them with social support, however, the organisation was 80 forced to cease its work under intense pressure by the security forces.
According to his data, during the 44-day war, more than 20,000 soldiers were wounded, but only 3,000 of them were recognised as having disabilities.
