Activist expelled from Germany interrogated at the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan

Baku/02.04.22/Turan: Civil activist Samir Ashurov, expelled from Germany, was summoned to the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan on April 1. He was interrogated as a witness in a criminal case concerning illegal migration, Ashurov himself told reporters.

Ashurov told the investigation that he had no connection with the defendants in the case and received a visa legally, having applied to the embassy on his own. According to Ashurov, no questions were asked regarding his political activities.

“But this does not mean that there are no risks of my arrest. Other activists expelled from Germany were not immediately arrested. Cases against them  started in 3-4 months,” Ashurov said.

He was among 38 Azerbaijani citizens who were returned from Germany on March 29 under the Agreement on readmission of persons living without permission.

In 2018, Ashurov was twice subjected to administrative arrests in Azerbaijan for 30 and 60 days, respectively, after which he emigrated to Germany, where he continued to criticize the Azerbaijani authorities. The German government refused to grant him asylum.—06B-