Additional Name(s): Ahsan Muzaffar oglu Nuruzade

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Azerbaijan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: October/6/2017

Date of Sentencing: March/6/2018

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Association

Nature of Charges: Drug Trafficking & Illicit Drug Use

Ahsan Nuruzade

Extra Bio Info:

Ahsan Nuruzade is imprisoned for his religious association.

On October 6, 2017, two plain clothes officers abducted Nuruzade, a member of the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement (MUM) organization, near his home as he was heading to attend the Nardaran trial.

On October 9, 2017, Nuruzade was brought to the Baku Pre-Trial Detention Facility and charged with "illegally purchasing or storing with a view of selling, manufacturing, processing, transporting, transferring or selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in large amount" (Art. 234.4.3 ACC).

On March 6, 2018, the Baku Grave Crimes Court convicted Nuruzade and sentenced him to seven years in prison.

On April 8, 2018, the Baku Court of Appeal upheld Nuruzade's sentence.

On January 30, 2019, the Supreme Court upheld Nuruzade's conviction.

Nuruzade had been detained on two prior occasions in 2017 related to his religious association.

Sources: