Ilhamiz Guliyev Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Today, the Baku Serious Crimes Court delivered a verdict in the case of public activist Ilhamiz Guliyev. The court reclassified the charges from Article 234.4.3 (illegal drug trafficking with intent to sell in large quantities) to a lighter charge under Article 234.1-1 (illegal acquisition, possession, manufacturing, processing, or transportation of narcotic substances or psychotropic substances in large quantities without the intent to distribute) of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code and sentenced the activist to three years in prison.

Before the sentence was read, Guliyev made a final statement. He rejected the charges, claiming his arrest was a "set-up." Guliyev stated that he did not expect a fair verdict.

His defense team, arguing that there was no credible evidence against him, described his arrest as retaliation for an interview he gave to Abzas Media, in which he claimed that drug-related cases in the police were often fabricated.

The defense called for Guliyev’s acquittal and for an investigation into the investigator who initiated the criminal case and falsified the charges.

*It is worth noting that Guliyev was detained on December 4, 2023, and arrested on December 6 for four months on charges of large-scale drug trafficking.

However, the true reason for his arrest was his interview with Abzas Media, in which he spoke about the illegal activities of the police and the falsification of criminal cases. Human rights activists have recognized Guliyev as a political prisoner.