Baku — July 23, 2023. Azerbaijani economist and opposition figure Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu and his wife, Irada Bayramova, were violently detained by plainclothes officers in Baku around 1 p.m. after being surrounded by several unmarked civilian vehicles.
According to eyewitnesses and family accounts, the vehicles rammed Dr. Ibadoghlu’s car from both sides, forcing it to stop. Around 20 men in civilian clothes dragged the couple from their vehicle and physically assaulted them. Both suffered multiple bruises and head injuries; Ms. Bayramova was later diagnosed with a concussion and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The couple was taken to the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (MDCOC), where they were held separately. Dr. Ibadoghlu was reportedly beaten in custody and denied access to his lawyer for several hours. The Ministry of Internal Affairs later denied that Ms. Bayramova had been detained, despite evidence to the contrary.
No charges were initially brought against Dr. Ibadoghlu during the search of his former office, where police allegedly planted USD 40,000 to fabricate evidence. The following day, however, authorities charged him under Article 204.3.1 of the Criminal Code: “preparation, acquisition, or sale of counterfeit money or securities by an organized group”, a crime punishable by up to 12 years in prison.
On July 24, 2023, the Narimanov District Court ordered three months and 26 days of pretrial detention without justification. Dr. Ibadoghlu’s detention followed an illegal search and seizure operation, during which he was reportedly hooded and informed that his arrest was personally ordered by President Ilham Aliyev.
As of September 2023, this remains the latest available photo of Dr. Ibadoghlu in detention.
For further details, please visit: freegubad.com