Additional Name(s): Эльшан Аббасов
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Azerbaijan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a
Sentence: 2 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: March/3/2022
Date of Sentencing: August/30/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Association Religious Belief Religious Freedom Advocacy Religious Instruction & Teaching
Nature of Charges: Drug Trafficking & Illicit Drug Use
Elshan Abbasov
Extra Bio Info:
Elshan Abbasov is imprisoned for his religious activity.
On March 3, 2022, plainclothes officers in Barda arrested Abbasov, a member of the Muslim Unity Movement (MUM). Activists believe his arrest was tied to his religious activities, educational activities, and activism for religious freedom rights. Abbasov was charged with "illegally purchasing or storing with a view of selling, manufacturing, processing, transporting, transferring or selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances in large amount" (Art. 234.4.3 ACC).
On August 30, 2022, the Ganja Grave Crimes Court sentenced Abbasov to two years and six months in prison for "illegally purchasing or storing without a purpose of selling narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption" (Art. 234.1 ACC) after lightening the original drug trafficking charge prosecutors brought forward.
Abbasov had been previously imprisoned for protesting the ban on wearing hijabs in school.
Sources:
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"List of Political Prisoners...On 1 December 2023" Institute for Peace and Democracy
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"'Bilirdim ki, işgəncə ilə boynuma qoyacaqlar...'" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
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“Активист Эльшан Аббасов задержан в Азербайджане” Caucasian Knot
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“The court took Elshan Abbasov into custody for a period of 4 months /UPDATED/” Turan.az
Additional Name(s): Aram Rudikovich Danielyan, Даниелян Арам Рудикович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: January/25/2024
Date of Sentencing: January/25/2024
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Aram Danielyan
Extra Bio Info:
Aram Danielyan is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On January 6, 2022, authorities in Samara detained Danielyan at the airport in relation to his religious activities. Danielyan was investigated for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) over his Jehovah's Witness activities.
In December 2022, Danielyan was released.
On January 25, 2024, the Samara District Court sentenced Danielyan to seven years in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On May 20, 2024, the Samara Regional Court upheld Danielyan’s sentence.
Related Cases: Nikolay Vasiliyev, Denis Kuzyanin, Sergey Polosenko
Sources:
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Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Aram Danielyan" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"A Court in Samara Sent Four Jehovah's Witnesses to a Penal Colony for Seven Years" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Case of Polosenko and others in Samara" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Additional Name(s): Sergey Ivanovich Polosenko, Полосенко Сергей Иванович
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: January/25/2024
Date of Sentencing: January/25/2024
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Sergey Polosenko
Extra Bio Info:
Sergey Polosenko is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On December 15, 2021, authorities in Samara detained several Jehovah's Witnesses, including Polosenko, following a raid on an apartment they were in. Polosenko was investigated for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) over his Jehovah's Witness activities.
In December 2022, Polosenko was released.
On January 25, 2024, the Samara District Court sentenced Polosenko to seven years in prison. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On May 20, 2024, the Samara Regional Court upheld Polosenko‘s sentence.
Related Cases: Nikolay Vasiliyev, Denis Kuzyanin, Aram Danielyan
Sources:
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Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Sergey Polosenko" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Case of Polosenko and others in Samara" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"A Court in Samara Sent Four Jehovah's Witnesses to a Penal Colony for Seven Years" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"A Raid on Jehovah's Witnesses Took Place in Samara. Three Were Sent to a Pre-Trial Detention Center, One Reported Torture During a Search" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia