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Bashir Suleymanli
Head of the Institute of Human Rights
Under Articles 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of property, committed on a large scale), 308.2 (Abuse of official powers, resulting in grave consequences) and 313 (Official forgery) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On March 14, 2025, the Binagadi District Court of Baku issued a ruling:
to grant the investigator's petition to select a preventive measure in the form of arrest and
to apply a preventive measure in the form of arrest to Bashir Suleymanli for a period of 3 months and
28 days.
2025-03-14
СИЗО № 1 в поселке Кюрдаханы в Сабунчинском районе города
Баку
Occupation:
Charges:
Arested:
Status:
In early March 2025, pro-government media reported that the Prosecutor General's Office had opened a criminal case against those non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan that had received grants from Western international funds in previous years. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the funds from the grants received on behalf of international organizations were spent "to undermine socio-political stability" under the guise of "legal protection" of socially vulnerable groups, as well as to promote anti-war ideology, LGBT propaganda and other "ultra-liberals", and to conduct counter-propaganda against mental values. Among them, Bashir Suleymanli was arrested on March 14, 2025. In May 2014, Bashir Suleymanli had already been arrested and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for "illegal entrepreneurship" and "tax evasion." In March 2015, Suleymanli
was released under a pardon decree.
And now a second arrest on practically the same charges. On March 19, 2025, the Baku Court of Appeal heard Suleymanli's appeal against
his arrest, one of the activist's associates reported:
"The defense pointed out the lack of grounds for criminal prosecution of Bashir
Suleimanli, and even more so for his detention. There is not a single
evidence against him, the accusation is based on the subjective assumptions of the investigator.
Bashir himself said that he does not accept the charges. He stated that the criminal case is related
to his legal and human rights activities."
In early March 2025, pro-government media reported that the Prosecutor General's Office had opened a criminal case against those non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan that had received grants from Western international funds in previous years. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the funds from the grants received on behalf of international organizations were spent "to undermine socio-political stability" under the guise of "legal protection" of socially vulnerable groups, as well as to promote anti-war ideology, LGBT propaganda and other "ultra-liberals", and to conduct counter-propaganda against mental values. Among them, Bashir Suleymanli was arrested on March 14, 2025. In May 2014, Bashir Suleymanli had already been arrested and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for "illegal entrepreneurship" and "tax evasion." In March 2015, Suleymanli
was released under a pardon decree.
And now a second arrest on practically the same charges. On March 19, 2025, the Baku Court of Appeal heard Suleymanli's appeal against
his arrest, one of the activist's associates reported:
"The defense pointed out the lack of grounds for criminal prosecution of Bashir
Suleimanli, and even more so for his detention. There is not a single
evidence against him, the accusation is based on the subjective assumptions of the investigator.
Bashir himself said that he does not accept the charges. He stated that the criminal case is related
to his legal and human rights activities."
Bashir Suleymanli
Head of the Institute of Human Rights
Under Articles 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of property, committed on a large scale), 308.2 (Abuse of official powers, resulting in grave consequences) and 313 (Official forgery) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On March 14, 2025, the Binagadi District Court of Baku issued a ruling:
to grant the investigator's petition to select a preventive measure in the form of arrest and
to apply a preventive measure in the form of arrest to Bashir Suleymanli for a period of 3 months and
28 days.
2025-03-14
СИЗО № 1 в поселке Кюрдаханы в Сабунчинском районе города
Баку
Occupation:
Charges:
Arested:
Status:
In early March 2025, pro-government media reported that the Prosecutor General's Office had opened a criminal case against those non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan that had received grants from Western international funds in previous years. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the funds from the grants received on behalf of international organizations were spent "to undermine socio-political stability" under the guise of "legal protection" of socially vulnerable groups, as well as to promote anti-war ideology, LGBT propaganda and other "ultra-liberals", and to conduct counter-propaganda against mental values. Among them, Bashir Suleymanli was arrested on March 14, 2025. In May 2014, Bashir Suleymanli had already been arrested and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for "illegal entrepreneurship" and "tax evasion." In March 2015, Suleymanli
was released under a pardon decree.
And now a second arrest on practically the same charges. On March 19, 2025, the Baku Court of Appeal heard Suleymanli's appeal against
his arrest, one of the activist's associates reported:
"The defense pointed out the lack of grounds for criminal prosecution of Bashir
Suleimanli, and even more so for his detention. There is not a single
evidence against him, the accusation is based on the subjective assumptions of the investigator.
Bashir himself said that he does not accept the charges. He stated that the criminal case is related
to his legal and human rights activities."