Sources: contact.az, Turan
The Baku Court of Grave Crimes on June 1, 2015 convicted Popular Front Party’s youth activist Elvin Abdullayev for drug possession on a large scale and sentenced him to 6 years in prison,
contact.az
and other regional media reported.
Abdullayev, a student at the Azerbaijani Pedagogical University, was arrested on January 8, 2015 after an exam. Police accused Abdullayev of possessing 3 grams of heroin, after which he was charged with drug trafficking on a large scale.
The student claimed that he was framed, and the drugs were planted because of his criticism of the authorities and appeals to fellow students to express their opinions without fear. Following this statement, Abdulayev received a warning from the University Provost.
After his arrest, investigators reportedly tried to force Abdullayev to denounce the Popular Front Party, but Abdullayev did not give in, his mother told
Turan
. She also said that Abdullayev was repeatedly placed in solitary confinement as a punishment.
The Youth Committee of the Popular Front Party maintains that Abdullayev was prosecuted for his political convictions. He is known as a scathing critic of the government and author of Facebook articles critical of the authorities. Abdullayev is the eight activist of the Popular Front Party who has been imprisoned.
