Gubad Ibadoglu's identity card deactivated (Updated)

Azerbaijani economist Gubad Ibadoglu’s identification card remains deactivated, despite assurances from the Ministry of Internal Affairs that no deactivation had occurred.

Ibadoglu reportedly attempted to use his ID to access ASAN, the country's electronic public service platform, following Friday's statement by an Interior Ministry representative. However, the system once again indicated that the FIN code associated with his ID card does not exist, raising questions about the status of his identification within the system.

The incident has prompted speculation about potential administrative errors or deliberate actions affecting Ibadoglu’s access to public services.

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The identity card of renowned economist and political activist Gubad Ibadoglu has been invalidated, further restricting his rights after his release under house arrest. Ibadoglu himself informed Turan about this.

Thus, Ibadoglu's identity card, which was returned to him by the Main Department for Combating Organised Crime of the Interior Ministry after his transfer from detention to house arrest, is no longer valid.

The document cannot be used for notarised powers of attorney or other official processes, although it is supposed to be valid until 4 August 2031.

All of this has limited Ibadoglu's ability to access basic legal services.  So attempts to use the ID card through ASAN systems, have been unsuccessful. Entering a FIN (identification number) into the system gives the response that:  ‘No information about this FIN was found’.

These restrictions violate the Law of Azerbaijan ‘On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Persons Detained in Places of Detention’, which guarantees detained or arrested persons access to notary services.

Attempts to resolve the issue through online appeals to the Interior Ministry have not yet yielded any results.  The incident shows the attitude of the Azerbaijani government towards its critics. Ibadoglu, a professor and vocal critic of the government, has previously faced legal challenges and accusations that were widely considered politically motivated.

In turn, Elbrus Ibragimov, an employee of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, told Turan that no restrictions were imposed on Gubad Ibadoglu's identity card. There is no question of deactivating Ibadoglu's identity card, he added.