22:47, 25 February 2025

Oppositionist Akram Shabyev arrested in Azerbaijan

Akram Shabyev. Photo from Natiq Abbasov's page on Facebook (the activities of the Meta Company, owning Facebook, are banned in Russia)

Akram Shabyev, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has been arrested for 30 days on charges of disobeying the police. Shabyev is being persecuted for criticizing authorities in social media, his fellow party members assert.

At least 11 PFPA members are being held in jail on criminal charges, namely Niyameddin Akhmedov, Lachin Veliev, Agil Gumbatov, Shakhin Gadjiev, Alizamin Salayev, Sakhib Mamedzade, Elkhan Aliev, Elbai Kerimli, Elnur Gasanov, Mutallim Orudjeva and Pyunkhan Kerimli.

On February 20, Akram Shabyev was summoned to the Baku police department and placed under arrest the next day, Ayaz Magerramli, a PFPA deputy chairman, has informed.

"It is obvious that Shabyev was arrested for his active work in social networks, and for his critical posts about the country's authorities," he has added.

Over the past three months, more than 10 PFPA activists have been arrested on trumped-up charges, Mr Magerramli has stated. "Most of them ended up behind bars for their posts or comments," he has emphasized.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 22, 2025 at 11:57 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: СK correspondent