Ilqar Ryadzhov – theologian Date of arrest: 2 February 2023 Charge: Articles 167-1 (Forcing to confession or financing of committing these acts on the grounds of religious animosity, religious radicalism or religious fanaticism) and 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 2 February 2023, Ilqar Ryadzhov was sentenced to 4 months in pre-trial detention.
The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended several times Sentence: On 23 October 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 Ilqar Ryadzhov was sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment 124 Conclusion: Ilqar Ryadzhov, a well-known theologian of Azerbaijan, told the following about his arrest to his family over the phone: «The police detained me at noon on 1 February 2023, and openly, in front of my eyes, put drugs in my pocket.
The officer who detained me told me that I had to accept either charges of using and selling drugs or of spying for Iran, as I had studied in Qom, Iran, about 20-30 years ago.
And he advised me to accept the first charge, for then I would be imprisoned for three to six years, otherwise I would face 20-year-period imprisonment for being a spy».
Finally, the theologian pointed out that he had been arrested due to the recent deterioration of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations».
