Zaur Gurbanly: my arrest caused by booklet of organization "Nida"

In Azerbaijan, blogger Zaur Gurbanly, an activist of the civil movement "Nida" (Exclamation), was released after serving an administrative penalty in the form of 15-day detention. After his release, Zaur Gurbanly stated that, although he was subjected to moral and psychological pressure, no physical violence was used against him. The activist also said that his arrest was caused by a booklet of the civil movement "Nida".

After his release, Zaur Gurbanly reported that during his detention at the Chief Department to Combat Organized Crime (known as GUBOP) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), police officers asked him about the booklet of the civil movement "Nida", seized from him, and, in particular, they asked him who was involved in the production of the printed material, who was the author of the idea, and where it was printed.

"I was asked those questions during the first week of my detention in custody. However, I said that I had done everything and that I was ready to undertake responsibility for that. During that time, my social defence was organized at a good level, and the case gained international attention. On the other hand, I did not respond to questions, related to the organization's activities and preparation of the booklet. Apparently, they decided that it had no sense to question me further. During the second week of arrest, I was not asked about anything anymore," Zaur Gurbanly said.

Meanwhile, according to him, the police officers admitted that they had operational information that the booklet contained anti-government slogans. "However, later, they realized that the booklet contained nothing illegal," Zaur Gurbanly stated.

However, according to the activist, the police officers said that he should "serve his penalty of 15 days" and that he "should not file an appeal, since no criminal case would be instituted."

As far as the conditions of detention are concerned, then, according to Zaur Gurbanly, in the early days, he was threatened with beatings, torture, and initiation of criminal case if he did not cooperate with the investigators. However, no physical force was used against him.

Commenting on the report of the MIA's press service that Zaur Gurbanly was arrested "because of rendering resistance to the police during his detention on the basis of operational information in connection with drug trafficking", the activist said that during his detention at the GUBOP, no drug trafficking was in question. "I was openly told that I had been detained in connection with the booklets, and if drug trafficking was in question, they 'would immediately find drugs at my place'," Zaur Gurbanly has explained.

As far as the conditions of detention and treatment by at the GUBOP's detention facility are concerned, then, according to Zaur Gurbanly, he was kept in "normal conditions". However, he was not allowed to get newspapers, and the books, given to him, were censored.

"The guards admitted that they treat me with respect, since my case was at the centre of the media's attention. Besides, I was visited by human rights defenders and representatives of the Red Cross," the activist said.