23:02, 6 May 2021

Leader of "Muslim Unity" detained in Azerbaijan

The flag of Azerbaijan at a protest action. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

Law enforcers have detained Elchin Gasymov, the head of the Azerbaijani "Muslim Unity" movement before his speech on air of an oppositional TV channel, Rufat Safarov, a human rights defender and Gasymov's associate, has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 28, 2017, Elchin Gasymov was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his participation in the events of November 2015 in Nardaran. On March 16, 2019, Gasymov and several other convicts were pardoned by the President of Azerbaijan.

Gasymov was detained on May 5, 2021, Rufat Safarov, the executive director of the human rights organization "Defence Line", has stated, adding that Gasymov had been elected the board chairman of the movement because Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the "Muslim Unity" is in prison.

Let us remind you that in November 2020, after his release, Gasymov was summoned to the Chief Department for Combating Organized Crime and warned that the police would intervene if a "Muslim Unity" action dedicated to the anniversary of the events in Nardaran was held.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 6, 2021 at 09:07 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent