Imran Aliyev Testifies About Torture in Court

On April 28, a hearing in the “meclis.info case” was held at the Baku Serious Crimes Court under the chairmanship of Judge Roman Aliyev. The session was attended by defendant Imran Aliyev, as well as Elgiz Gahraman and Tamella Musayeva, who are under police supervision.

During the hearing, Imran Aliyev gave testimony about both his professional activities and alleged ill-treatment following his detention.

He stated that the website he managed operated in cooperation with international organizations and received funding from entities such as the German Marshall Fund, USAID, and the U.S. Embassy, adding that he had paid taxes during his three years of activity.

Aliyev also told the court that he was subjected to torture on the day of his arrest. According to his statement, he was forcibly taken from the airport to the Baku City Main Police Department, where he was physically abused, had a bag placed over his head, and was subjected to electric shocks to force him to disclose passwords and sign documents without legal counsel.

He further claimed that he was pressured to remain silent about the abuse both at the police department and later in pretrial detention.

Aliyev refused to answer questions from the state prosecutor during the hearing.

His father, Bagir Aliyev, stated that his son is experiencing serious health issues, including chronic back pain requiring an MRI scan, which has not been conducted for over three months due to administrative obstacles.

The defense submitted several motions, including a request to review audio and video evidence. The court granted this motion.

Imran Aliyev was detained on April 19, 2024.