Vusal Alish

Additional Name(s): Vüsal Alış, Vusal Nadir oglu Alishov

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Azerbaijan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a

Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: March//2023

Date of Sentencing: February//2024

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Association

Nature of Charges: Drug Trafficking & Illicit Drug Use

Vusal Alish

Extra Bio Info:

Vusal Alish is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In March 2023, authorities arrested Alish, a member of the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement, along with 30 others, accusing them of using religion to undermine Azerbaijan at the behest of Iranian intelligence services and planning to overthrow the current constitutional structure to establish a theocratic state. Alish's arrest came amid a deterioration of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran and a crackdown on perceived religious Shi'a Muslims.

On an unspecified date, Alish was sentenced to six years in prison for "illegally purchasing or storing without a purpose of selling narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption" (Art. 234.1-1 ACC).

Alish had previously been imprisoned in relation to his religious association. Authorities had arrested Alish in December 2015 and sentenced him to 12 years and six months in prison. He was later pardoned.

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