Azerbaijani animal rights activist Mirzoyev has been arrested for two months
An Azerbaijani court sentenced Elkhan Mirzoyev to administrative arrest, finding him guilty of drug possession. The animal rights activist denied the charges.
As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," on October 1, animal rights activist Elkhan Mirzoyev was taken away from his home in the village of Guneshli in Azerbaijan's Lerik region by civilians. By October 4, his family had not been able to determine his fate.
Mirzoyev's cousin, opposition blogger and political émigré Tural Sadigly, reported that security forces confiscated branches of the harmala plant hanging on the wall of Mirzoyev's home (in Azerbaijan, many people keep branches of this wild plant in their homes as a remedy against the evil eye). "They'll probably charge it as 'drugs.' But Elkhan is an honest and pure man; everyone knows him that way. He doesn't even smoke cigarettes," Sadigly said.
Elkhan Mirzoyev, as it turns out, was sentenced to two months of administrative arrest by the Lerik District Court on October 3, a relative of the activist living in Baku told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent today.
According to him, the animal rights activist was found guilty under Article 206 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Azerbaijan (illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances not for the purpose of sale).
Elkhan categorically denies this absurd accusation.
"Elkhan categorically denies this absurd accusation. Not only does Elkhan not use drugs, he doesn't even smoke cigarettes. Elkhan is not only an animal rights activist but also a conservationist. He actively opposed deforestation in the Lerik region. An appeal will be filed against the court's decision. The man was essentially kidnapped from his home, and then the family received no information about him for another week. Meanwhile, Lerik police claimed they had nothing to do with Elkhan's arrest," said Mirzoyev's relative.
A Lerik District Court official confirmed Mirzoev's arrest. The Ministry of Internal Affairs was unable to provide comment, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reported.
As a reminder, in August 2021, three animal rights activists in Azerbaijan were jailed for 15 days, and another activist was fined, after they held a protest and then reprimanded the owner of a toothless monkey who was using the animal to pose for photos with passersby. Elkhan Mirzoyev was among those arrested.
Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/416099
Source: CK correspondent
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