Extra Bio Info:

Elshan Mustafaoglu was imprisoned for his religious expression and activism.

On December 17, 2014, authorities arrested Mustafaoglu, a Muslim scholar and former department head at the Caucasian Muslim Board, and charged with treason (Art. 274 ACC) after accusing him of spying for Iran.  Mustafaoglu was reportedly targeted for encouraging approaches to Islam outside the state's control.  Mustafaoglu was a co-founder of the Initiative Group for the Support of the Human Rights of Religious Citizens and the founder of the Appeal to Moral Purity organization.

Mustafaoglu alleged at trial that he had been tortured during the investigation.

On December 30, 2016, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Mustafaoglu to 10 years in prison following a closed trial.

On June 23, 2022, Mustafaoglu was released from prison after his sentence was commuted. 

Extra Bio Info:

Abqul Suleymanov was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On August 12, 2011, authorities arrested Suleymanov, a religious figure, for allegedly creating an extremist religious group without state registration, assisting a foreign state, and trying to incite mass demonstrations. Reporting indicates he was targeted for publicly opposing government policies impacting religious freedom conditions and for calling for protests. Suleymanov was charged with "illegally purchasing, transferring, selling, storing, transporting, and carrying firearms, accessories, supplies, and explosives" (Art. 228.1 ACC), "organizing actions meant to disrupt the social order or actively participating in such actions" (Art. 233 ACC), "illegally purchasing or storing without a purpose of selling narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption" (Art. 234.1 ACC), and "exciting national, racial or religious hostility...with application of violence or with threat of its application" (Art. 283.2.1 ACC).

On August 10, 2012, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Suleymanov to 11 years in prison.

On January 23, 2013, the Baku Court of Appeal upheld Suleymanov's sentence.

On November 20, 2014, the Supreme Court upheld Suleymanov's sentence.

On September 30, 2022, Suleymanov was released from prison after completing his sentence.

Extra Bio Info:

Movsum Samadov was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions and for his political activity.

On January 7, 2011, authorities arrested Samadov, head of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, following a traffic stop.  He was initially charged with failing to comply to a lawful order by a police officer (Art. 310.1 CAO); however, the arrest followed a high-profile speech Samadov made days before on January 2, 2011, in which he denounced President Ilham Aliyev over the ban on wearing religious headscarves in schools and other issues facing the country.  The same day Samadov was arrested, the Narimanov District Court sentenced him to 13 days in administrative detention.  During this process, Samadov was reportedly unable to hire a lawyer of his own choosing.

On January 20, 2011, the final day of his administrative detention, Samadov was charged with "preparing a crime" (Art. 28 ACC), "preparing terrorism committed on preliminary arrangement by group of persons, by organized group or criminal community (criminal organization)" (Art. 214.2.1 ACC), "preparing terrorism committed with application of fire-arms or subjects used as a weapon" (Art. 214.2.3 ACC), "illegally purchasing, transferring, selling, storing, transporting, and carrying firearms, accessories, supplies, and explosives committed by organized group" (Art. 228.3 ACC), and "actions directed on violent capture power or violent deduction power" (Art. 278 ACC).

On October 7, 2011, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Samadov to 12 years in prison.

In March 2017, Samadov was reportedly placed in a punishment cell for five days for praying in prison.

On January 19, 2023, Samadov was released after completing his sentence.

On January 24, 2024, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) published an interview with Samadov on the first anniversary of his release from prison. Samadov spoke about the current state of religious freedom in Azerbaijan, his time in prison, and how he is not allowed to leave the country.