Number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan grows to 254 – FFPPA

Baku/01.12.23/Turan: On December 1, the Union “For Freedom of Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan” (FFPPA) published an updated list of political prisoners, which includes names of 254 people.

Over the past two months, the number of political prisoners has grown by 19 people.

In particular, 5 media representatives joined the list, including the director and deputy of the online publication "Abzas Media" Ulvi Hasanli and Mohammed Kekalov, the editor-in-chief and employee of this resource - Sevinj Vagifgizy and Nargiz Absalamova, as well as the head of the Internet Television Kanal-13 Aziz Orujev.

The chairman of the "Unity of Worthy Sons of Azerbaijan" Party, Rza Safarsoy, who was arrested on charges of illegal possession of weapons, was also new on the list. However, according to human rights activists, he is being persecuted for criticizing the authorities on social networks.

The political prisoner and member of the Party of People's Front of Azerbaijan, Elnur Hasanov, who was arrested on charges of drug trafficking after criticizing the traffic police.

Note that 12 religious activists from among the Shiite believers were also arrested on charges of drug trafficking.

Add that 254 political prisoners are classified into 8 groups.

Changes took place in the group “Journalists and Bloggers” - 11 people.

”Members of opposition parties and movements“ – 13 people, ”Believers" - 183 people.

There were no changes in other groups. So, in the group "Human Rights Defenders" there are 2 people"; Political emigrants deported from Germany" - 5 people; "Convicted in the Terter case “ - 7 people; “Convicted in the Ganja case" - 22 people; “Life convicts" - 11 people.

The list was compiled by director of the "Institute for Peace and Democracy' Leyla Yunus and head of the "Monitoring Center for Political Prisoners" Elshan Hasanov. –06D-