Human Rights Defender Hilal Mammadov Summoned by the State Security Service

On January 23, Hilal Mammadov, a member of the Public Council of the Talysh people of Azerbaijan (PCTP), was summoned to the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan. As he himself informed Turan, the summons was delivered to him today by officers from the Nizami district department of the SSS.

Mammadov was instructed to appear at the SSS on January 23 at 9:30 AM in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation. However, the specific case for which he is being summoned was not disclosed. Mammadov believes it may be related to the case of Talysh researcher Igbal Abilov, who is accused of treason. Mammadov heads the Public Committee for the Defense of Abilov's Rights. According to him, Abilov's uncle has also been summoned to the SSS.

Hilal Mammadov has previously faced criminal prosecution. As the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolışi Sado" (Voice of the Talysh), he was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Human rights defenders recognized him as a political prisoner. After three years, he was granted a pardon. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found his criminal prosecution to be unlawful.