Azerbaijani Activist and Teacher Arrested after Online Criticism

Dayanat Chalabiyev

Dayanat Chalabiyev, a public activist and English teacher in Azerbaijan, has been arrested. This action continues a worrying pattern of silencing people who disagree with the government. Chalabiyev, who is also known as Dayanat Chalabi, is known for his strong criticism of the government on social media. He was arrested on December 22, and the Khatai District Court soon ordered him to be held before his trial.

The Charges and What's Being Said

Chalabiyev, a 44-year-old father, is facing criminal charges under Article 126.2.4 of the Criminal Code. This article concerns intentionally causing serious harm with hooligan intentions. If he is found guilty, he could be sentenced to six to eleven years in prison.

Chalabiyev and his supporters say he is innocent. He says the charges are made up and that he is being framed because of his political views. He says his arrest came about because of a Facebook post he shared a day before his arrest where he criticized President Ilham Aliyev. In that post, Chalabiyev wrote that the way the country is being run has made it weaker. He said that the state was personalized, the people were sidelined, and the future was mortgaged.

Past Legal Issues

This isn't the first time Chalabiyev has been in trouble with the law this year. In May, he was held for 30 days on charges of petty hooliganism and resisting police. He said then that the charges were false and that he was being punished for his online activism.

Some people are concerned about the legal process in his case. The court session was led by Judge Rafael Sadykhov, who reportedly was no longer authorized to be a judge just before the ruling.

A Bigger Picture

Chalabiyev’s case is not the only one of its kind. In recent years, other activists, like Afiyaddin Mammadov, Kanan Zeynalov, and former diplomat Emin Ibrahimov, have faced similar charges of assault. Like Chalabiyev, they say they are innocent and that the alleged victims are actually trying to get them arrested.

Human rights groups believe that there are almost 400 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. International organizations are worried about the restriction of free speech. However, Azerbaijani officials say that people are not arrested for their work or beliefs, but for specific crimes.