No Investigation Conducted in Azer Gasimli’s Case - Samira Gasimli

For 20 days that Azer Gasimli has been held in the Pretrial Detention Center, no investigative actions have been conducted with him. Nobody has met with him. Only on the first day of his detention, at the Yasamal District Police Department, and on the day of the court hearing, was a confrontation held between Azer Gasimli and the accuser. This individual wore a hat pulled down over their head so that their eyes were not visible and turned away from Azer, Gasimli's wife, Samira Gasimli, told Turan.

The head of the Institute of Political Management, Azer Gasimli, was arrested on December 9 and sentenced to four months of detention pending investigation under Article 182.2.3 of the Criminal Code (extortion through threats). Gasimli and his lawyer deny the charges, claiming that law enforcement authorities detained him illegally for his political speeches criticizing the government’s internal policies.

Samira Gasimli communicates with her husband twice a week by phone. Azer Gasimli has not seen his two children during his detention. The couple has three children—two older daughters and a younger son.

"We decided to meet as a family on December 31 in the detention center, so yesterday I had to tell my nine-year-old son for the first time that his father is in prison. I prepared him for meeting his father under such circumstances. The meeting with the children is scheduled for next week," said Samira Gasimli.

According to her, her husband does not complain about the conditions of his detention. "He is held in a four-person cell equipped with a refrigerator for storing food and a television where detainees can watch the news. The inmates eat homemade food brought by their families, sharing meals together. The detention center staff communicate with Azer Gasimli respectfully," she shared from her personal visits with him.

Azer Gasimli is also not complaining about his health. At the beginning of his detention, his wife sent him multivitamins to support his health during the most challenging days.

The Kurdakhani Detention Center No. 1 is located 21 kilometers from Baku. There is no direct bus service from the city to the center. Friends and relatives help Samira Gasimli reach the facility with heavy bags of supplies in their cars.

When asked about her family’s expectations regarding her husband’s arrest and trial, Samira Gasimli responded that they are fully aware of why he was imprisoned. "He is being punished for speaking out about the situation in the country and expressing his opinions. Azer Gasimli’s arrest is part of a broader campaign of repression against political opponents on a national scale. His fate will be decided within the context of a general resolution on all political prisoners in Azerbaijan," Samira Gasimli asserted.