Sharqiya Habil qizi Sadigova – believer Date of arrest: 15 August 2025 Charge: Articles 221.2.1 (Hooliganism committed by group of persons or repeatedly); 221.3 (Hooliganism committed with application of a weapon or subjects, used as the weapon) and 233 (Organization of actions promoting infringement of a social order or active participation in such actions) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.
On 16 August 2025, the Baku City Khazar District Court imposed a preventive measure in the form of deprivation of liberty against Nigar Bagirova for the period of 3 months during the preliminary investigation Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: According to the official version of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs, on 15 August 2025, at noon, the police put an end to the attempt of a religious radical group to hold a mass religious ceremony at a place with heavy traffic and pedestrian flow in the Baku City Khazar District.
They arrested six believers: Khoshgadam Quliyeva (born in 1975), Nigar Bagirova (born in 1987), Aytan Ibrahimova (born in 1984), Shahla Farajova (born in 1981), Sharqiya Sadigova (born in 1994), and Arzu Huseynova (born in 1973).
It was stated that they “[had] engaged in criminal activity, chanted slogans and appeals preaching religious hatred and enmity, and waved flags.
It is indicated that they had failed to comply with the police officers' lawful orders, causing a conflict with the passers-by ", notably by attacking two local women who were crossing the street to inflict on them various injuries with their fists and feet.
However, the journalists from the Meydan TV, a media outlet that supports opposition groups, managed to interview them and discovered that the women had actually been observing a 201 traditional Shia memorial service called Arba'in, when Shias around the world commemorate the 40th day of Imam Hussein's death in 670.
Since that time, Shiites around the world have been making pilgrimages to the city of Karbala in Iraq, where Hussein's tomb is located, or commemorating this event in their own countries.
Hussain's suffering and death have become a symbol of self-sacrificing struggle for good against evil, for justice and truth against injustice and falsehood.
In connection with Arba'in Day, three women, Khoshgadam Quliyeva, Sharqiya Sadigova and Arzu Huseynova, baked sweets, which along with the other believers, Nigar Bagirova, Aytan Ibrahimova and Shahla Farajova, they were handing out as donations.
They also chanted slogans against injustice in Azerbaijan, accusing the President of the country, Ilham Aliyev, of being corrupted and condemned the police violence.
They also chanted, ‘Freedom to Palestine!’ Right at that moment the police stormed in and arrested them.
The police officers rudely ripped the headscarves off the believers’ heads and violently assaulted them.
Shargiya Sadigova said to Meydan TV that she's a handicapped 3rd group, and works as an English teacher.
That's why she wasn't at the memorial service on 15 August, as she was teaching online at home, "We agreed that everyone would do what they could.
I could make gogals (an Azerbaijani dish, a small round flour-based pastry).
I made and sent 44 gogals as a donation.
While I was teaching English, I was informed that Shahla Farajova had been arrested and her children had been beaten.
I had a feeling that they would come to us as well.” Indeed, a few hours later, more than 10 masked police officers turned up at Sharqiya Sadigova's house in order to arrest her.
The believer said that they had planted some religious items that had never belonged to her, "The police officers, like magicians, “found” some religious items, flash drives and computer discs that did not belong to us.
They insisted on taking a photo, of me with those items, but I refused to do it”.
According to Sharqiya Sadigova, afterwards, she was taken for interrogation to the Khazar District Internal Affairs Department; she was not provided with a lawyer.
The believer further stated of being innocent and demanded her freedom, "We are a poor family.
I support my family by teaching.
I have two sons, aged two and three.
One of them has mental disability.
It is traumatic for him that I am not around.
I am disabled since childhood and have lost 50 per cent of my health.
I want to be released and reunited with my children."
