Azerbaijani political prisoner-theologian was again sentenced to a long term
A court in Baku sentenced Shiite theologian Sardar Babayev to 17 years in prison. He was found guilty of treason in favor of Iran. He called the charges fabricated and called himself “a victim of the deterioration of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.”
According to lawyers, during the judicial investigation no substantiated and reliable evidence of Babayev’s guilt was presented. Human rights activists recognized him as a political prisoner. Previously, the ECHR decided to pay the theologian compensation in the amount of 5 thousand euros, recognizing a violation under Art. 5 (right to liberty and security of person).
In 2017, Sardar Babayev was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of violating the requirements for conducting religious ceremonies. Then he was recognized as a political prisoner for the first time.
