Prominent human rights activist's arrest extended for two months in Azerbaijan

A court in Baku extended the term of imprisonment of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev for another two months, until October 8. The man called the charges against him fabricated and politically motivated.

“From the very beginning of the case of Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, we have been convinced that he was arrested for political reasons. He is a hostage of a repressive administration and a victim of his public and human rights work,” said Rufat Safarov, executive director of the human rights organization Line of Defense.

Bakhtiyar Hajiyev was arrested at the end of 2022 on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court. Later, he was charged with new articles of illegal business, legalization of proceeds from crime, falsification of documents and smuggling. The accusations are related to Gadzhiev receiving grants from a European human rights organization.

Representatives of the US State Department, the European Union, the Council of Europe and a number of international NGOs have repeatedly demanded the release of the activist.

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