ARRESTS IN OCTOBER 2021
19 October
Shiite theologian Ilqar Ibrahimoglu detained
Ilqar Ibrahimoglu
On 19 October 2021 was detained the head of the Center for the Protection of Freedom of Religion and Conscience and the online publication deyerler.org, Shiite theologian Ilqar Ibrahimoglu. On the evening of October 19, Ibrahimoglu told live on Facebook that law enforcement officers had come to his house and he was going there himself. After that, he stopped communicating.
Later, human rights activist Rufat Safarov said that a search had been carried out in Ibrahimoglu’s house, and he himself was taken away by employees of the State Security Service.
In the 2000s Ibrahimoglu combined human rights work with religious activities.
After the 2003 presidential elections, when there were mass arrests of oppositionists, Ibrahimoglu also ended up in prison. However, he received a suspended sentence and was soon released.
For some time, he continued to lead the religious community of the Juma mosque in Icheri-sheher (historical part of Baku).
However, in 2005 the authorities took away the mosque from this community. Subsequently, Ibrahimoglu conducted religious sermons via the Internet.
20 October
Ilqar Ibrahimoglu released after interrogation at the State Security Service
Ilqar Ibrahimoglu
Shiite theologian Ilqar Ibrahimoglu was released from the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan on the night of October 20 after interrogation as a witness. He himself announced this in a live broadcast on Facebook.
«Currently I am free. I was taken from home on the evening of October 19. For several hours I was interrogated as a witness. I answered the questions of interest of the SSS officers. There were lengthy, detailed discussions. Throughout the time of my stay in the SSS there was a very professional, correct treatment. Since all the questions addressed to me were answered, I was released» – Ibrahimoglu said.
At the same time, Ibrahimoglu noted that for several days he would not have access to the phone and therefore asked not to contact him by telephone and through social networks.
However, he did not specify in what criminal case he was interrogated. Ibrahimoglu also did not say whether he would be summoned for questioning again.
The State Security Service did not disseminate reports about the interrogation of Ibrahimoglu also.
It should be noted that the detention and interrogation of Ibrahimoglu took place against the background of the aggravation of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.
20 October
Five Muslim clerics detained
Five members of the public association “Spiritual Figures of Azerbaijan” – Sardar Babayev, Qadir Mammadov, Jalal Shafiyev, Ali Musayev and Tamkin Jafarov – were detained.
Note that all of them collaborated with the site maide.az. According to their relatives, they were detained on the evening of October 19 at about 16.00-17.00 by State Security Service officers. Their homes were searched, computers and phones seized.
Jalal Shafiyev and Qadir Mammadov were released early this morning; however, they were detained again a few hours later.
No comments were received from the State Security Service.
Imam of the Juma mosque in Masally, Sardar Babayev was arrested in 2017 and sentenced to three years of imprisonment on charges of violating requirements of religious ceremonies. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner.
All the detainees are Shiites.
25 October
Believers were released after interrogations at the State Security Service
Employees of the website maide.az and members of the Spiritual Workers of Azerbaijan Association Jalal Shafiyev, Qadir Mammadov, Ali Musayev and Tamkin Jafarov, detained on October 19, have been released.
According to them, the believers were interrogated by the State Security Service. However, they themselves were not informed of the details of the case in which they were involved.
Recall that the Shiite theologian Sardar Babayev, who was also detained on October 19, was charged under Article 274 (Treason) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan Republic.
25 October
Police fined wedding motorcade with religious flags
Video of wedding procession with religious flags
The organizers of wedding procession with religious flags were detained in Baku, one of the participants was wanted. According to the Interior Ministry, the incident took place on 24 October in the Baku suburb of Shuvalan.
Agali Huseynzade and Agakarim Balaahmadov were detained for organizing a wedding celebration for Agaverdi Balaahmadov at his residence in violation of the quarantine regime.
In addition, a number of participants were fined 200 manats under Article 211 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for not having COVID-19 passports.
The 16 cars whose drivers committed car hooliganism were taken to the “penalty area.”
“It was also found that one of the wedding participants, Fizuli Malyev, was put on the wanted list by law enforcement authorities. A criminal case under Article 139-1 of the Criminal Code (violation of anti-epidemic, sanitary and hygienic or quarantine regimes) was opened, the investigation is under way,” the report concluded.
It should be noted that the slogans on the multi-colored flags were Shiite.
25 October
The former akhund of the Haji Javad Mosque was detained
Ahliman Rustamov
Former akhund of the Haji Javad Mosque, Shiite theologian Ahliman Rustamov was detained today by employees of the State Security Service.
His son Qasim Rustamov told that his father was taken from home. At the same time, a search was carried out in the apartment and religious literature was confiscated. The family of the theologian was not explained the reason for the detention.
Several Shiite theologians have been detained in recent days. Local observers explain the detention of believers by the recent aggravated relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.
26 October
Former akhund of Haji Javad Mosque released
Ahliman Rustamov
Former akhund of the Haji Javad Mosque, Shiite theologian Ahliman Rustamov, detained on October 25, was released near midnight. This was reported by his relatives.
Rustamov was interrogated by the State Security Service. No details were reported.
27 October
Sardar Babayev was arrested for publishing books of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Khamenei
Sardar Babayev
The criminal charges brought against the theologian and editor-in-chief of maide.az website Sardar Babayev have been fabricated. This is said in a statement by a member of the Association of Spiritual Figures of Azerbaijan, theologian Jalal Shafiyev.
He believes that the real reason for Babayev’s arrest is the publication of speeches and books of Iran’s supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Khamenei on his website maide.az.
According to Shafiyev, Sardar Babayev is the first CIS student to receive a special religious headdress personally from Khamenei.
In addition, Babayev got permission to perform certain religious duties personally from Khamenei as a mujtahid (the highest academic degree in Islam that allows one to give interpretations on matters of religion).
Jalal Shafiyev points out that Sardar Babayev was arrested due to Khamenei’s well-known statement regarding tensions in Azerbaijan-Iran relations.
Jalal Shafiyev holds that Babayev’s arrest is a step directed against Khamenei.
Note that Babayev was detained on October 19. It transpired later that he was criminally charged under Article 274 (Treason) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan Republic.
Several other Shiite theologians were briefly detained over the past week.
27 October
Sardar Babayev rejected treason charges
Sardar Babayev
On 27 October the Baku Court of Appeal heard a complaint against the arrest of Shiite theologian Sardar Babayev. The complaint was turned down, lawyer Javad Javadov said.
According to him, Babayev rejects treason charges put against him believing them as politically motivated.
He considers himself a victim of repression carried out due to the recent tensions with Iran.
27 October
It has become known about the detention of another believer
Sabuhi Salimov
The family of believer Sabuhi Salimov is concerned about his fate.
He was detained on October 20 and since then his family members cannot get any information about him. On October 20, the believer was taken from his daughter’s home in the village of Khokmeli and searched.
This was reported by Fatima Salimova, the believer’s wife.
According to her, during the search, the officers took the believer’s grandson’s cell phone, computer and tablet. In addition, the believer’s apartment in Baku was searched.
Along with Sabuhi Salimov, his son-in-law was also detained. But the latter was released.
“So far we have no information about Sabuhi. We don’t know what happened to him. He is a participant of the first Karabakh war. His health is badly undermined. A few years ago he had open heart surgery to replace four vessels. He has had heart attacks lately too due to blocked vessels. Sabuhi is very ill and unreasonable keeping him in custody could worsen his condition,” Salimova said.
According to her, the believer is not a member of any organization.
In the past, he attended the mosque “Haji Javad” in the center of Baku which was demolished as a part of the project to improve the “Sovetskaya” area.
“My husband is an ordinary believer, a patriot of his country. Last year he went to the military registration and enlistment office four times to be taken to the war. But they didn’t take him because of his health condition. He was not a member of any organization, but he always spoke up for justice and did not keep quiet when he saw that someone’s rights were violated,” Salimova said.
In recent days, several Shiite theologians and religious activists were briefly detained.