Members of the group have been detained and sentanced
Credit:AROPL
Two members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light faith, Rustam Gasimli and Neriman Shabanzade, were subjected to a harrowing ordeal after disappearing for 24 hours before reappearing in court.
The pair were subsequently sentenced to a minimum of 30 days in prison on charges of hooliganism and disobedience to a police officer .
Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light members disappeared
The duo s ordeal began with a peaceful act of distributing flyers in Baku. However, the event escalated into a nightmare when they were detained by authorities. After a day of enforced disappearance, they resurfaced in the Sabail District Court, where a hastily convened trial resulted in their conviction.
Renowned human rights lawyer Zibeyda Sadigova, affiliated with the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre, has taken up the case. She alleges that both Gasimli and Shabanzade endured severe beatings and abuse during their captivity. Sadigova is determined to appeal the verdict, which she vehemently condemns as a blatant attempt to intimidate members of the Ahmadi community.
A Tik-Tok livestream
The charges levelled against the activists, including Article 510 of the Criminal Code for hooliganism , have been described as absurd given the peaceful nature of their actions, which were live-streamed on TikTok. The case has ignited widespread concern about the deteriorating human rights situation and suppression of freedom of expression in Azerbaijan.
International human rights organisations and observers are calling for the immediate release of Gasimli and Shabanzade, as well as a thorough and impartial investigation into their treatment.
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Written by
Trelawney Bresic
Trelawney is a journalist and screenwriter. She began her career at the Euro Weekly News twenty years ago and is passionate about honest and compelling journalism. If you have a news story, don’t hestitate to get in touch at [email protected]
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