Jailed religious activist held in solitary confinement, family says

Mirvasid Aliyev

An Azerbaijani religious activist sentenced to 10 years in prison as a teenager has been placed in solitary confinement, according to his family.

Mirvasid Aliyev, who was convicted in 2023, was transferred from Umbakı prison to Correctional Facility No. 2 on 20 June.

His mother told local media she had not heard from him since the day of his transfer, raising serious concerns over his safety.

"He called home the day he was transferred and we spoke for about two minutes," she said. "Since then, it has been nearly 20 days and he does not call. We do not know if our son is alive, if he has been beaten, or what is happening to him."

The family said they had contacted both the state Penitentiary Service and the human rights Ombudsman, but no official investigation had been launched.

However, during a visit to the prison on 8 July, the facility's warden reportedly told the family that Mr Aliyev would be released from the punishment cell on 12 July, after which they would be permitted to see him.

Mr Aliyev was sentenced in February 2023 when he was 17 years old, alongside 12 other defendants. The group was accused of plotting to overthrow the constitutional order to establish a "Karima" state, a proposed Islamic republic.

They were convicted on multiple charges, including state treason, attempting to forcibly change the constitutional order, recruiting minors into a criminal group, and conspiring to assassinate a public figure.