Traffic police commented on the detention of Elshan Hasanov (updated)

The reason for the detention of human rights defender Elshan Hasanov was his violation of traffic rules, the police said. Hasanov was released after a drug examination, the activist himself said. 

"Today at 09.00, the driver of a “Nissan” car with state license plates, Elshan Hasanov, while driving on the 12-km Baku-Salyan highway, violated the rules of maneuver, in connection with which he was stopped and an administrative protocol was drawn up against him," Turan was informed in the public relations department of the Main Traffic Police Department.

Hasanov himself told Turan that after being detained, he was taken to Sumgayit for a drug examination. Alcohol and drugs were not found in Hasanov's body, after which he was released. "If I violated traffic rules, they could have issued a fine on the spot. Why did they have to take me to Sumgayit, arrange a drug examination for me, a 65-year-old man?", Hasanov noted.

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Traffic police detained human rights activist Elshan Hasanov

On Saturday morning, traffic police detained human rights activist Elshan Hasanov while driving his car to the Sadarak shopping center.

“We were stopped by the traffic police for no reason. Without any reason, Elshan bey is being taken for forced examination to a drug treatment clinic,” the human rights activist’s wife, Rena Hasanova, told Turan.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs could not be reached for comment.

Former “prisoner of conscience” Elshan Hasanov heads the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners. He is also the co-coordinator of the Union “For Freedom for Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan”.