\n Former political prisoner Giyas Ibrahimov, who was released from custody on Wednesday, a day after being detained for protesting police brutality in Azerbaijan, has now received a fine for his actions.\n<\/p>\n
\n The young activist was accused of minor hooliganism and fined 50 AZN (25 EUR).\n<\/p>\n
\n On June 9, Ibrahimov held an individual protest on the roof of his building in Baku and hung a banner saying \u201cEnough, don\u2019t be silent, speak up\u201d.\n<\/p>\n
\n According to the Baku City Police Department spokesperson Elshad Hajiyev, Ibrahimov told police that he would commit suicide after climbing on the roof of his building.\n<\/p>\n
\n After his release today, the young activist said he never intended to commit suicide.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt was a protest,\u201d Ibrahimov said adding that his aim was to protest against how the police officers behaved towards the residents of Dadash Bunyadzadeh street in Baku the day before.\n<\/p>\n
\n The police launched an operation in a 13-story building in Baku's Yasamal district on 8 June. Some male residents were arbitrarily detained and videos spread on social media showed police violently dragging them into vans.\n<\/p>\n
\n It came a day after residents of the same building threw garbage on police officers who tried to detain a resident allegedly violating the weekend lockdown in Baku.\n<\/p>\n
\n In total, 11 residents were detained and brutally beaten in custody; many were released with visible bruises on their faces. One man stated he had been beated by 30 policemen for five hours.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe video [on social media] shocked even apolitical people, and I could not keep quiet,\u201d Ibrahimov said. He also said that he was forced by police officers to confess he did not hold a protest.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt's not true. I didn't say "I'll throw myself off the building". You can also see it in the video,\u201d he added.\n<\/p>\n
\n The Interior Ministry has not yet commented on the incident.\n<\/p>\n
\n Ibrahimov, along with his fried Bayram Mammadov, was arrested for painting a slogan on a statue of ex-president Heydar Aliyev in Baku in 2016 and sentenced to 10 years in prison on fabricated drug charges. He was released in March 2019 as part of a sweeping presidential pardon that saw over 50 political prisoners freed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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