Baku Court Upholds Activist Elvin Mustafayev's Transfer to High-Security Prison

Baku, Azerbaijan – On 3 September 2025, the Baku Court of Appeal upheld a lower court's decision to transfer activist Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the "Worker's Desk" Trade Union Confederation, to a high-security prison for six months. The hearing, presided over by Judge Elmar Rahimov, dismissed the appeal filed by Mustafayev's legal team.

According to his father, Əli Mustafayev, both the family and lawyer Zibeydə Sadıqova argued in court that the decision was baseless. "We said that Elvin was given six months even though he is innocent," his father stated, adding that their arguments about the mistreatment and suffering Elvin endured were disregarded by the court.

The initial transfer order was issued by the Nizami District Court on 10 July, following a request from the administration of Penal Institution No. 6, where Mustafayev was held. The institution alleged that Mustafayev had violated internal disciplinary rules, engaged in opposition activities, and made unfounded complaints. While the prison authorities reportedly requested that Mustafayev be transferred to the high-security Gobustan prison for the remainder of his sentence, the court limited the transfer to a six-month period. Mustafayev has denied these accusations, calling them a pretext for applying pressure and has stated that he was beaten by the prison administration.

Mustafayev's situation escalated after he began a hunger strike on 6 May 2025, from Penal Institution No. 13, demanding the release of politician Tofiq Yaqublu and other political prisoners. Following this protest, he was placed in a punishment cell for 14 days and subsequently moved to Penal Institution No. 6. His confinement in the punishment cell was extended first by 10 days, and then by another month.

Elvin Mustafayev was originally sentenced to three years in prison on 31 January 2023. He was initially charged with large-scale drug trafficking for the purpose of sale, but the Baku Court of Serious Crimes later amended the charge to possession of a large quantity of drugs without the intent to sell. Mustafayev rejects the charges, maintaining his arrest is linked to his political activism.

Human rights defenders recognise Mustafayev as a political prisoner. According to their statements, there are currently more than 370 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, a claim that official bodies deny. Mustafayev is one of four imprisoned members of the "Worker's Desk" Trade Union Confederation, which was founded in 2022 to protect workers' rights. The other detained members are chairman Afiəddin Məmmədov, Ayxan İsrafilov, and Möhyəddin Orucov, all of whom face various charges they assert are politically motivated and fabricated.