Baku: People Detained for Displaying USSR Flags – What's Going On?

Recently, two people, Abdulla Ibrahimli and Ibrahim Asadli (a doctor and head of a botanical center), were arrested in Baku. Other individuals were also taken into custody. A video showed them marching with flags of the old Soviet Union (USSR) and the Azerbaijan SSR, supposedly to remember the October Revolution anniversary. This video made its rounds on social media.

What the Authorities Say

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has verified the arrests. They've started a criminal case, accusing the group of disturbing public order under Article 233 of the Criminal Code.

Officials state that the group acted together, met regularly, and rented an office using money from another country. Raids on the homes and offices of those arrested reportedly turned up communist propaganda, flags, radical books, CDs, and electronic devices. The investigation is still in progress.

Legal Questions

Despite these charges, some legal experts say that Azerbaijan doesn't forbid communist propaganda or Soviet symbols.

Lawyer Ruslan Aliyev has openly criticized the MIA's actions, saying the charges don't make sense under the law. He believes the police action and criminal case go against the Azerbaijani Constitution, which protects freedom of thought and assembly (Articles 47 and 49). Aliyev suspects the detainees are unfairly being labeled as terrorists or extremists, and views the arrests as political intolerance.

Other Possible Explanations

A friend of Ibrahim Asadli claims the detention might stem from a disagreement with the Health Ministry about how to treat cancer. This person also said that state media is spreading lies, like falsely claiming Ilia Kleimenov (from the Russian Communist Parties Union) funded the group from abroad.

Also, a source close to the people involved mentioned that a police officer suggested the situation wouldn't be a problem if the video hadn't been shared online.

This isn't the only incident of its kind. Earlier in the year, Saleh Samadov, a former local official, lost his job for displaying a USSR flag and wearing a St. George ribbon at a World War II event. He was later arrested for embezzlement, charges he denies.

Soviet symbols are a sensitive topic in Azerbaijan. Russian forces occupied the country in 1920, and it was part of the USSR from 1922 until it declared independence in 1991. While Azerbaijan hasn't banned communist symbols like some other countries, using such symbols can still cause controversy and draw attention from the government.