Seven Azerbaijani Citizens Convicted for Participation in ISIS

A trial on the case of 7 Azerbaijanis accused of participating in ISIS and other radical groups fighting in Syria has finished in Baku.

On November 16 Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced the seven to a total of 74 years and 6 months of imprisonment. The prison terms are as follows: 14 years - Elbrus Azizov and Ilahi Azizov, 13.5 years - Babek Shirinov, 12 years - Rasim Badalov, 11.5 years - Namig Guliyev, 7 years - Elman Mirzabekov and 2.5 years - Afghan Shahmali.

All these persons were arrested in 2015 by the then Ministry of National Security officers on charges of involvement in 2013-2015 in various armed groups in Syria and Iraq, including ISIS, Jebhat an-Nusra and Jund Sham.

Elman Mirzabekov was charged that he transported them across the border illegally.

However, the defendants rejected the allegations, saying in court that they did not participate in any military groups, and their confession was made under torture.

Some of the witnesses in this case were previously convicted on similar charges.

Of these, Kamran Azizov and Malik Musayev refused to testify in court, despite the judge's threat to file a criminal case against them.

Previously, both these witnesses were sentenced to 14.5 and 13.5 years in prison. -03D-