Are the arrested charged of "spying for Iran" really agents or are they just believers?

Baku/05.04.23/Turan: It is reported that suspects of an armed attack on the deputy of the Milli Majlis Fazil Mustafa have been detained. In the Sabail district Court, the presentation of the investigative body was considered, and the petition was granted. The report says that one of the four defendants was sentenced to three months in prison, and the rest to four months in prison.

In general, information has been spreading in recent days about mass arrests of believers in Azerbaijan on various charges. It is reported that these arrests are being carried out throughout the country.

How do law enforcement agencies determine that these individuals are "Iranian spies"? And if these operations are carried out under the guise of "spying on Iran", then why are other charges being brought against these believers?

Human rights activists Novella Jafaroglu and Rufat Safarov answered these questions in the "Difficult Question" program.

According to Novella Jafaroglu, it is not necessary to exaggerate the illegality of the actions of the security forces. "They are arresting those who have visited Iran 8-9 or more times over the past year. The employees of the State Security Service reveal to the smallest detail – who, for what purpose visited  Iran, with whom he met and for what purpose. I think they (those who visit Iran too often – Ed.) have contacts in Iran and they meet with them, talk," she said, adding that there are many detainees because everyone who visits Iran often is checked. "I was informed that some detainees have already been released after questioning," she concluded.

According to Rufat Safarov, Iran is indeed a terrorist state today.

"This is a theocratic regime that sponsors terrorism. Human rights are grossly violated there. The Iranian regime poses a threat not only to the peoples of this country, not only to the region and Azerbaijan, but also to the whole world. It should be sent to the dustbin of history. And the culprit of the strained relations between Azerbaijan and Iran is certainly Iran.  It has always been a threat to the territorial integrity and sovereignty, national security of Azerbaijan. Iran has always supported Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan," the human rights activist said.

"However," he stressed, "fighting against the Iranian agents should not violate fundamental human rights. Innocent people should not be held responsible for Iran's actions."

According to Safarli, a religious and ideological vacuum reigned in Azerbaijan for a long time, and during this period representatives of Iran's religious circles and Iranian cultural centers acted freely in the country, actively engaged in agitation and propaganda of ideas alien to us, creating their own agents.

"All these years, Iran has not been asleep, trying to create this network of agents. However, recently we have been witnessing that arrests are taking place on charges of distributing narcotic drugs. There are many arrests, but there are no charges of espionage. Believers are accused mainly of distributing drugs," Safarli said.

"Of course, the fight against terrorism should be carried out, but at the same time, its framework should be clearly outlined. The charges must correspond exactly to the committed violations of the Law," the human rights activist is convinced.