An Azerbaijani opposition party activist has been arrested for 30 days.

Murad Sultanli, Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan, has been placed under administrative arrest for 30 days. Associates believe the charges against him are fabricated.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," Murad Sultanli (also known as Murad Sultan), Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has been unavailable for communication since midday on December 16, Natig Adilov, head of the party's press service, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. He suggested that Sultanly may be detained by security forces.

Sultanly's fate became clear on December 18, Natig Adilov, head of the PFPA press service, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Today (December 18) it became known that he was arrested administratively for 30 days," Adilov said.

According to him, the details of the administrative case against Sultanly are unknown. "We don't yet know what Murad Sultanli was accused of. But we are convinced that he was arrested on false charges. Murad Sultanli is a very intelligent person, he is quiet, calm, and he will never disturb the peace. This is another link in the chain of repression against the PFPA," Adilov noted.

According to him, the party will engage a lawyer to defend Sultanli to appeal the arrest.

Earlier, Adilov said that Sultanli, in addition to fulfilling his functional duties in the party, is an active user of social media.

"Murad Sultanli actively wrote on Facebook* about the illegal arrest of PFPA leader Ali Karimli, the persecution of other party activists, and the death in prison of a young member of our party, Elbay Karimli. Even after the arrest of PFPA leader Ali Karimli, pressure on The crackdown on party activists continues. Over the past week, activist Vugar Gadirli was arrested, and charges against Novruz Tagiev were increased. And now Murad Sultanli has been detained. The number of PFPA members arrested on fabricated, politically motivated criminal charges has reached 20," Adilov noted. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs could not be reached for comment. On November 29, State Security Service officers detained Ali Karimli and his advisor, Mammad Ibrahim, a member of the Presidium of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). Both opposition figures have been remanded in custody for two and a half months, until February 13. Karimli was charged under Article 278.1 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code (actions aimed at the violent seizure of power or the violent change of the constitutional order of the state). He denied the charges and called his criminal case political persecution. On December 5, the Baku Court of Appeal refused to uphold the appeal against Karimli's arrest.