Ruslan Izzatli – member of the Institute for Democratic Initiatives and Founding Board Member of the socio-political organization Platform III Republic Date of arrest: 8 March 2022 Charge: Articles 162-1 (Involvement to perform any work (services) without labor contract entering into force); 192.3.2 (Illegal business, committed with gaining an extra large-scale income); 193-1.3.1 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed by an organized group or a criminal organization (criminal association); 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed in large amount); 206.3.2 (Smuggling committed on preliminary arrangement by group of persons); 206.4 (Smuggling, committed by the organized group) and 213.2.1 (Evasion from payment of taxes, committed by the organized group) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
On 8 March 2024, the Baku City Khatai District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Akif Qurbanov in the form of arrest for a period of 4 months.
The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended several times Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: On 6 March 2024, the at the Baku City General Police Department officers searched the office of Toplum TV Internet as well as the office of Platform III Republic, when a few employees were detained on suspicion of smuggling.
Among them was Ruslan Izzatli.
On the night of 6 March, he was released after interrogation, however, on the afternoon of 8 March, he was again detained by the men in civilian clothes in front of the Baku City Khatai District Police Department.
He was then forced into a black car and taken away in an unknown direction.
In the evening, his house was searched.
The police officers claimed that they had found foreign currency.
His lawyer was not there, and his wife was in the other room and could not see the search process. 66 The EU criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for cracking down on the staff of Toplum TV and Platform III Republic.
