A former political prisoner has been banned from leaving the country in Azerbaijan

Former Azerbaijani political prisoner Saleh Rustamov has been banned from leaving the country. The activist, who had been living abroad after his release, returned to Baku to attend the funeral of a relative.

When attempting to leave the country, Rustamov was informed at the airport that he was banned from leaving the country without explanation. A call to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs hotline also yielded no explanation.

Saleh Rustamov, a Russian citizen and PFPA activist, was sentenced in 2021 to seven years and three months in prison on charges of fundraising for the party, but his sentence was later reduced. While in prison, he went on a hunger strike in protest, ending it after his health deteriorated.

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