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Ruslan Adil oglu Vakhabov
Activist of the Public Council of the Talysh People of Azerbaijan
Under 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 September 23, 2023, the Nizami District Court of Baku ruled to grant the investigator's motion for pretrial detention and to order pretrial detention for Ruslan Vakhabov for four months.
2023-09-22
On January 12, 2024, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced him to 4 years' imprisonment.
Occupation:
Charges:
Arested:
Status:
Ruslan Vakhabov, 34, is a social activist. He has criticized the socioeconomic performance of the Azerbaijani authorities on social media. At the same time, as an activist with the OSTAA, he advocated for the constitutional national and cultural rights of his people. For his social activism, he has repeatedly faced pressure from the police.
On September 21, 2023, he wrote an anti-war post on his Facebook page titled "What Have We Earned in 23 Hours and 43 Minutes?", implying that the one-day military operation in Karabakh was aimed at enriching the ruling elite. On the morning of September 22, as he was walking to work, he was detained by police from the 23rd Precinct of the Nizami District Police Department of Baku. According to relatives and the leadership of the OSTA, police officers brutally beat Ruslan Vakhabov at this station, then grabbed him by the hair and dragged him across the floor, telling him, "We'll show you what we've achieved in Karabakh in 24 hours." Unable to withstand the torture, Vakhabov incriminated himself, agreeing to admit that he was allegedly found in possession of 6 grams of heroin and that the drugs belonged to him.
Vakhabov's lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, confirmed to journalists that Ruslan Vakhabov complained of violence, self-incrimination, and claims by security forces regarding a social media post. The lawyer also noted that after his arrest, Vakhabov's rights were violated: he was not allowed to contact his family or hire a lawyer of his choice. However, the appellate court, presided over by Judge Ibrahim Ibrahimli, dismissed Vakhabov's claim of torture and his lawyer's arguments regarding the violation of the activist's rights to a defense and the lack of primary credible evidence of the defendant's guilt.
OSTA is convinced that R. Vakhabov is being persecuted for his anti-war statements, as well as social media posts in which he raised issues of ensuring the national and cultural rights of the Talysh people. The organization also pointed out that R. Vakhabov is the sole breadwinner in his family, with two young children. Furthermore, R. Vakhabov has health problems, has suffered from jaundice, and suffers from chronic lung disease. Therefore, his detention is not only unjustified but also inhumane.
Ruslan Vakhabov, 34, is a social activist. He has criticized the socioeconomic performance of the Azerbaijani authorities on social media. At the same time, as an activist with the OSTAA, he advocated for the constitutional national and cultural rights of his people. For his social activism, he has repeatedly faced pressure from the police.
On September 21, 2023, he wrote an anti-war post on his Facebook page titled "What Have We Earned in 23 Hours and 43 Minutes?", implying that the one-day military operation in Karabakh was aimed at enriching the ruling elite. On the morning of September 22, as he was walking to work, he was detained by police from the 23rd Precinct of the Nizami District Police Department of Baku. According to relatives and the leadership of the OSTA, police officers brutally beat Ruslan Vakhabov at this station, then grabbed him by the hair and dragged him across the floor, telling him, "We'll show you what we've achieved in Karabakh in 24 hours." Unable to withstand the torture, Vakhabov incriminated himself, agreeing to admit that he was allegedly found in possession of 6 grams of heroin and that the drugs belonged to him.
Vakhabov's lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, confirmed to journalists that Ruslan Vakhabov complained of violence, self-incrimination, and claims by security forces regarding a social media post. The lawyer also noted that after his arrest, Vakhabov's rights were violated: he was not allowed to contact his family or hire a lawyer of his choice. However, the appellate court, presided over by Judge Ibrahim Ibrahimli, dismissed Vakhabov's claim of torture and his lawyer's arguments regarding the violation of the activist's rights to a defense and the lack of primary credible evidence of the defendant's guilt.
OSTA is convinced that R. Vakhabov is being persecuted for his anti-war statements, as well as social media posts in which he raised issues of ensuring the national and cultural rights of the Talysh people. The organization also pointed out that R. Vakhabov is the sole breadwinner in his family, with two young children. Furthermore, R. Vakhabov has health problems, has suffered from jaundice, and suffers from chronic lung disease. Therefore, his detention is not only unjustified but also inhumane.
Ruslan Adil oglu Vakhabov
Activist of the Public Council of the Talysh People of Azerbaijan
Under 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 September 23, 2023, the Nizami District Court of Baku ruled to grant the investigator's motion for pretrial detention and to order pretrial detention for Ruslan Vakhabov for four months.
2023-09-22
On January 12, 2024, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced him to 4 years' imprisonment.
Occupation:
Charges:
Arested:
Status:
Ruslan Vakhabov, 34, is a social activist. He has criticized the socioeconomic performance of the Azerbaijani authorities on social media. At the same time, as an activist with the OSTAA, he advocated for the constitutional national and cultural rights of his people. For his social activism, he has repeatedly faced pressure from the police.
On September 21, 2023, he wrote an anti-war post on his Facebook page titled "What Have We Earned in 23 Hours and 43 Minutes?", implying that the one-day military operation in Karabakh was aimed at enriching the ruling elite. On the morning of September 22, as he was walking to work, he was detained by police from the 23rd Precinct of the Nizami District Police Department of Baku. According to relatives and the leadership of the OSTA, police officers brutally beat Ruslan Vakhabov at this station, then grabbed him by the hair and dragged him across the floor, telling him, "We'll show you what we've achieved in Karabakh in 24 hours." Unable to withstand the torture, Vakhabov incriminated himself, agreeing to admit that he was allegedly found in possession of 6 grams of heroin and that the drugs belonged to him.
Vakhabov's lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, confirmed to journalists that Ruslan Vakhabov complained of violence, self-incrimination, and claims by security forces regarding a social media post. The lawyer also noted that after his arrest, Vakhabov's rights were violated: he was not allowed to contact his family or hire a lawyer of his choice. However, the appellate court, presided over by Judge Ibrahim Ibrahimli, dismissed Vakhabov's claim of torture and his lawyer's arguments regarding the violation of the activist's rights to a defense and the lack of primary credible evidence of the defendant's guilt.
OSTA is convinced that R. Vakhabov is being persecuted for his anti-war statements, as well as social media posts in which he raised issues of ensuring the national and cultural rights of the Talysh people. The organization also pointed out that R. Vakhabov is the sole breadwinner in his family, with two young children. Furthermore, R. Vakhabov has health problems, has suffered from jaundice, and suffers from chronic lung disease. Therefore, his detention is not only unjustified but also inhumane.