Ilhamiz Quliyev – public activist Date of arrest: 4 December 2023 Charge: Article 234.1 (Illegal purchase or storage without a purpose of selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
On 6 December 2023, the Baku City Yasamal District Court issued an order: to satisfy the investigator’s petition on arrest and issue a preventive measure against Ilhamiz Quliyev in the form of detention for a period of 4 months.
The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended several times Sentence: On 12 December 2024, 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 Ilhamiz Quliyev was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment Conclusion: 58 Ilhamiz Quliyev, a non-governmental activist, has been providing legal assistance to the residents of Aghdam district within the framework of USAID project for the last two years.
He had previously worked as a police officer.
On 27 September 2023, he gave an interview to a journalist of Abzas Media, an online Azerbaijani media outlet, in which he explained in detail how the Azerbaijani police officers fabricate cases against undesirable individuals.
In particular, some of the drugs found during the arrest of criminals are not recorded in the documents so that later these drugs can be thrown to the political government opponents.
Even though I.
Quliyev's voice had been changed with a special program while he was interviewed, the Ministry of Internal Affairs officers found out whose voice it was, and on October 5, Guliyev was arrested for 30 days under the administrative Article "for petty hooliganism and disobedience to the police”.
On 25 November 2023, I.
Quliyev, having been released, decided to go to Tbilisi for a medical treatment, but coming to the airport he found out that he was banned from leaving the country.
At the same time he noticed the surveillance by the people in civilian clothes.
Realizing that he could be arrested on drug-related charges, on 17 November 2023, I.
Quliyev underwent a special expertise at the 1st Republican Narcology Center, which determined that he did not use drugs, and issued him a relevant document, that I.
Quliyev spread across the social networks.
But it did not help.
On 4 December 2023, in the afternoon, Ilhamiz Quliyev was detained by the people in civilian clothes.
Later, one of his relatives told the reporters: "Ilhamiz was dragged away violently.
He was pulled away, beaten on the head”.
Although I.
Quliyev was taken to the Baku 28th department of the Internal Affairs, the police denied his presence for three hours.
All that time I.
Quliyev was subjected to beatings.
Only in the evening, it was officially confirmed that I.
Quliyev had been detained in the Baku City Yasamal District Police Department.
On 6 December 2023, in the course of the trial at the Baku City Yasamal District Court I.
Quliyev reported on torture in the police and demonstrated the traces of violence.
In this regard, the Court made a decision to apply to the Prosecutor's Office to investigate the activist's statement about torture.
