Freedom Now strongly condemns the continued detention of activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. On December 9, 2022, an Azerbaijani court ordered Hajiyev to remain in pre-trial detention pending an investigation on charges of hooliganism and contempt of court. We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to immediately release Hajiyev from detention, drop all charges against him, and ensure he receives proper medical treatment.
Hajiyev is a democracy activist and a former parliamentary candidate in Azerbaijan. In October 2021, a court delivered a verdict against Hajiyev in a long-running legal dispute with journalist Ulviyya Aloylu. After the proceedings ended, Aloylu allegedly provoked Hajiyev with insults as he was leaving the courtroom. She also allegedly threw an object at him. This sequence of events can partially be seen in leaked and edited CCTV footage from the courtroom. Hajiyev reacted to the outburst by confronting Aloylu and her lawyer, apparently hitting their table with papers. This confrontation is ostensibly the reason for Hajiyev’s current imprisonment.
Freedom Now is deeply concerned about Hajiyev’s condition and treatment in detention. On December 15, 2022, Hajiyev began a hunger strike, which caused him to develop health issues. When he appeared in court on December 20, witnesses described him as looking very weak. Allegedly, authorities tried to pressure Hajiyev to end his hunger strike by depriving him of sleep, putting him in a cell without proper heating, forcing him to sleep on the floor in unsanitary conditions, and limiting his contact with his lawyers and the outside world. Authorities also allegedly dragged Hajiyev while he was handcuffed. Hajiyev ended his hunger strike on December 29, but began a second strike on January 8, 2023. His health condition continues to deteriorate. Additionally, the court extended his pre-trial detention to February 28, 2023, and amended the charges so that he faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Hajiyev has faced repeated harassment from the government for his activities over the past decade. For example, on May 18, 2011, an Azerbaijani court convicted Hajiyev of evading the military draft – charges widely considered retaliation for his peaceful pro-democracy activism – and sentenced him to two years in prison. The Supreme Court of Azerbaijan ordered that Hajiyev be released early on June 4, 2012, after serving 15 months in detention. In April 2022, Hajiyev was abducted near his home in Baku. After release, he claimed the government orchestrated his kidnapping and that the kidnappers urged him to drop accusations against the Minister of Internal Affairs.