Article 234.4.3 (Illegal acquisition or possession for the purpose of sale, manufacture, production, processing, transportation, transfer, or sale of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in large quantities) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

On March 9, 2023, Bakhtiyar Babashov was seized on the street by unknown persons and taken to an unknown location. On March 11, 2023, he was brought to the Narimanov District Court, where he was sentenced to four months in pretrial detention during the preliminary investigation. His pretrial detention was subsequently extended several times.