On July 14, following the skirmishes in the borderline between Azerbaijan and Armenia, at least 20 thousand of citizens hold a rally in central Baku and concentrated in front of the Parliament building and Freedom Square. Participants expressed their discontent over the losses and showed their support for the army. After a small group of citizens entered the Parliament building, largely peaceful rally was dispersed by police using disproportionate force, water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets. On rally night alone, at least 70 people were detained across the central Baku.
On July 15, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Office of General Prosecutor announced the launch of a criminal case into the events. Despite the lack of official information on number and identities of detainees, one media source claimed 7 people to be criminally charged for the case, citing the MIA. Moreover, pictures of 6 persons to be charged were disseminated by an unofficial source.
On July 16, after the speech of the President Ilham Aliyev in which he blamed the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan for the incident, new wave of arrests started mostly targeting members of various political group and, parties and civic activists, and resulted in the detention of at least 60 people. The detainees have been held criminally and administratively responsible while some of them faced torture. According to information by the officials of Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, Seymur Ahmadov, Ayaz Maharramli, Bakhtiyar Imanov and Ramid Naghiyev and Fuad Gahramanli– members of PFPA – were severely beaten in various detention facilities and forced to confess against and blame high ranking PFPA members, including leader Ali Karimli, for the incidents occurred during the rally. The detainees were in most of the cases denied access to a lawyer.
Under Criminal Code, some people were accused under articles 139-1 – a violation of quarantine regime, 186.2.1 – damaging property, 233 – infringing social order, 278 – attempting a violent change of constitutional system and 315 – application of violence against government representative and mostly sentenced to 3 months of pre-trial detention. Under these articles, some detainees may even face lifetime imprisonment.
Some detainees were administratively charged and sentenced to averagely 30 days of arrest while accused under article 211.1 of the Code of the Administrative Offences – a violation of quarantine regime. Based on information received from various sources, Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre compiled the current list of detainees and will keep updating it:
List of people held criminally responsible:
- Asif Yusifli, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Seymur Ahmadov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Bakhtiyar Imanov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Ramid Naghiyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Ismayil Hasanov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Ayaz Maharramli, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Baba Suleymanov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Jeyhun Novruzov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Mahabbat Naghiyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Telman Seyfullayev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Gunduz Mirzayev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Elnur Cabbarov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Müşviq Quliyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Ariz Ibadat, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, civic activist
- Parvin Chobanov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare Movement
- Tural Valiyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, member of Muslim Unity Movement
- Kamil Mahmudov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, member of Muslim Unity Movement
- Siyavush Mustafayev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315.1 of Criminal Code, ex-deputy of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
- Sabuhi Mustafayev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Mushfig Vahabov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Ilkin Aliyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Elchin Mammadov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Emin Huseynzade, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Ramiz Babayev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Azer Mammadov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Shamsi Rahimli, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Dayanat Movlayev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Vusal Guliyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Elchin Mehdiyev, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Ismayil Mammadov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Fariz Mammadov, articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Fuad Gahramanli, articles 186.2.1, 233, 278 and 315 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Mammad Ibrahimov, articles 186.2.1, 233, 278.1 and 315, PFPA member
- Samid Gadirov, article 139-1 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Vugar Valiyev, article 139-1 of Criminal Code, citizen
- Mahammad Imanli, article 139-1 of Criminal Code, PFPA member
- Mehdi Ibrahimov, article 139-1 of Criminal Code, son of detained PFPA member – Mammad Ibrahimov
List of people charged administratively:
- Nijat Abdullayev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Mahir Namazov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Suleyman Maharramov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Farrukh Aliyev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Elkhan Nuriyev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Elnur Hasanov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Rashid Turabov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Elnur Yusubov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Sarvan Jumayev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Yaşar Kərimov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Emin Farhadov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Babak Muradov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Elnur Guliyev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Feyruz Rahimov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, PFPA member
- Manaf Karimov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, poet
- Ayxan Alakbarzada, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, underage citizen
- Jasur Aghayev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Jasarat Salimov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Elnur Baghirov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Vusal Aghayev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Ali Rustamzada, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Khaladdin Mammadov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Zeynal Atashov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Khazan Shakaraliyev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Suleyman Mehraliyev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Orkhan Jafarli, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Novruz Alishov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Murad Israfilzade, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Taleh Sultanov, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Shadoghlan Shahabbaszade, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
- Ziraddin Guliyev, article 211.1 of Code of Administrative Offences, citizen
List of people of whom status remain unknown after detention
- Elvin Mammadov (He was initially criminally charged under the articles 186.2.1, 233 and 315 of Criminal Code, however, there were report about him regarded as witness afterwards. Currently, the situation remains unknown)