Veteran Hacı Valiyev Reportedly Tortured in Custody, Family Alarmed by His Condition

Hacı Valiyev

Hacı Valiyev, a veteran (Gazi) of the Azerbaijani Army and former chairman of the "Young Gazis" Public Union (PU), is reportedly undergoing torture while in custody. His family has voiced profound concern for his health, stating he sustained a head injury and is struggling to speak after a recent phone call.

According to information released by his relatives on June 27, Valiyev managed to make a phone call to his family, during which he indicated he had suffered a head injury. His family members describe his voice as weak and noted a significant difficulty in his speech, pointing to a serious deterioration in his health. This has led to deep concern among his relatives regarding his fate.

Hacı Valiyev was arrested on April 1 of this year and is currently charged under Article 221.3 of the Criminal Code, pertaining to hooliganism committed with the use of weapons, and Article 186.1, concerning the intentional destruction or damage to another's property that causes significant harm. Valiyev denies all charges.

Following his arrest, the "Young Gazis" Public Union announced the suspension of its activities. A statement issued on behalf of the organization noted that "due to a number of objective and subjective reasons that have emerged recently, including the weakening of ties among members, extensive discussions were held regarding the organization's activities." The conclusion reached was that "it is more expedient to suspend the union's activities at this stage." The "Young Gazis" PU was established in 2021, building upon the foundation of the "Karabakh Gazis" PU. Valiyev himself was known for his critical commentary on social networks, particularly for shedding light on the problems faced by servicemen who lost their health in the Second Karabakh War and the families of those who died.

His family has publicly appealed to both the general public and relevant government agencies, demanding an immediate investigation into Hacı Valiyev's health. They insist that he receive prompt medical assistance and that official and transparent information be provided to both his family and the public regarding his condition.

"We, as Hacı Valiyev's family, do not know what condition he is currently in," they stated. "His inability to speak during the phone call, the powerlessness of his voice, and the lack of information given to the family deeply concern us. We demand an urgent investigation into our veteran's health and that those responsible be held accountable if his rights have been violated."

As of now, no official statement has been issued by government bodies regarding these serious allegations. Attempts to obtain a response from the Penitentiary Service or other official institutions have been unsuccessful. While the Penitentiary Service typically rejects claims of torture against individuals in detention, human rights defenders have also announced that they are closely monitoring the situation and will appeal to the relevant authorities to investigate the torture claims, especially given Hacı Valiyev's status as a veteran of the Azerbaijani Army.