Relatives of Elvin Mustafayev Concerned After 8 Days Without News

Elvin Mustafayev

Relatives and colleagues of Elvin Mustafayev, a detained member of the “Workers’ Table” Confederation of Trade Unions, say they have not received any information about him for more than a week.

On May 14, the “Workers’ Table” issued a statement reporting that Mustafayev had been transferred to an unknown location following a hunger strike he began on May 6. The protest was launched at Correctional Facility No. 3 in response to reported violations of prisoners’ rights and to demand the release of political detainees, including Tofig Yagublu.

According to the statement, after the hunger strike began, Mustafayev was subjected to pressure and relocated, but authorities have not disclosed which facility he is currently being held in. His family and friends are worried about his health and overall well-being.

So far, neither the Penitentiary Service nor any other official body has responded to inquiries about his situation.

Elvin Mustafayev was arrested in August 2023 on charges of drug trafficking. On January 31, 2024, the Baku Serious Crimes Court sentenced him to three years in prison. Mustafayev has denied the accusations, linking them to his work with the “Workers’ Table.”

“As I was leaving the store, four men violently attacked me. They immediately took my phone. I was taken to the station. They told me that if I didn’t confess, they would bring a woman to testify against me and accuse me of rape. Or they would charge me with being an ‘Iranian agent’ and imprison me for that...”

The “Workers’ Table” Confederation of Trade Unions was founded in 2022 to advocate for labor rights in Azerbaijan. Four of its members — chairman Afieddin Mammadov and members Aykhan Israfilov, Elvin Mustafayev, and Mohyaddin Orujov — are currently behind bars. Although they face different charges, they all insist the accusations are fabricated and politically motivated.

According to local human rights organizations, there are currently around 350 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Government officials reject this classification, claiming that all convictions are based solely on the individuals' actions, not political motives. However, international human rights groups, the U.S. State Department, and several Western diplomats based in Baku have urged the Azerbaijani government to release those unjustly imprisoned and to end pressure on independent media and civil society.