14 Azerbaijani oppositionists placed under house arrest

In Baku, a court changed the pre-trial restriction measure for 21 out of 37 defendants in a criminal case on an unsanctioned march. The detainees were released from custody and placed under house arrest. The number of the released defendants includes 12 members of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan and two members of the movement "Muslim Unity".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 15, a march in support of the Azerbaijani army took place in Baku, which ended in clashes between activists and the police. After the march, 48 activists of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) were arrested.

Fifteen people still remain in custody, including three PFPA members: Ramid Nagiev, Gyunduz Mirzoev, and Elnur Djabbarov.

Elshan Gasanov, the head of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners, has positively assessed the release of 21 persons involved in the case on the unsanctioned march.

"According to the practice of Azerbaijan, if a defendant is released during a trial, it can be expected that the punishment will not be associated with imprisonment. In this case, the criminal case loses all meaning. After all, people took to the action in support of the army, and they demanded decisive actions on the part of the authorities to restore the territorial integrity of the country. I believe those detainees who have not been released yet will be set free following the results of the trial," Elshan Gasanov said.