21 October 2023
Azerbaijani activist Mohyeddin Orujov has been sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention, allegedly for making a post on social media criticising President Ilham Aliyev.
Orujov’s brother, Nizami Orujov, told OC Media that his brother was sentenced on 19 October, a day after being detained. Orujov has been charged with petty hooliganism and resisting the police.
The activist’s brother also claimed that Orujov was harassed and beaten at the police station that he was taken to.
Nizami Orujov stated that his brother was summoned to a police station after writing a comment on social media.
‘The police said that he was called to the station because he criticised President Ilham Aliyev’, said Orujov. ‘They said he will be brought to court, but there is no information yet.’
MeydanTV contacted Surakhani District Court, which confirmed that an arrest warrant for the activist was only issued on 19 October and that he was detained on charges of petty hooliganism and disobeying the police.
Over the past month, around 20 politicians and social and political activists have been administratively arrested on charges of disobeying police orders. Most of those arrested stated that they were arrested for writing posts critical of the government and President Aliyev.
Mohyeddin Orujov is known mostly for his pro-democracy activity on social media, while he has also participated in several demonstrations including for women’s rights.
