ILHAMIZ GULIYEV

About Ilhamiz Guliyev

Ilhamiz Guliyev, an Azerbaijani activist and former investigator assistant, was born on 19 September 1982 in the Aghdam district of Azerbaijan. He holds a degree in Iranian studies from the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Baku State University, and later pursued a master’s degree in philology, specialising in Persian literature.

He worked as a Program Manager at the Institute for Citizens’ Rights, where he provided support and legal advice to various disadvantaged groups, including veterans and the relatives of war dead. Since 2021, Guliyev has also been providing legal assistance specifically to citizens of the Agdam district.

In September 2023, Guliyev gave an anonymous interview to Abzas Media. He talked about how the police often frame political activists with drug charges, even using drugs that aren’t legal for these purposes. Guliyev knows a lot about this drug-related framing because he has worked in many unofficial roles during his career as an investigator. For example, from 2001 to 2013, he worked unofficially for the Investigation Department of the State Customs Committee. He later worked as an unofficial assistant investigator and senior assistant investigator for several Baku City District Police Departments (Yasamal, Narimanov, Binagadi, and Nasimi) from 2014 to 2020 and again from January to October 2023.

His persecution began shortly aftre the interview with an initial 30-day administrative detention in October 2023, where he was allegedly warned by an officer, “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” Guliyev was released on 4 November 2023. However, his phone was not returned to him, despite attempts to retrieve it with the help of his lawyer. He later discovered that it had been used to access his social media accounts.

On 25 November 2023, Guliyev was prevented from leaving Azerbaijan for Georgia, where he was informed of a travel ban. Aware that he was being watched and anticipating a possible framing with drugs, Guliyev visited a drug rehabilitation centre and underwent testing to prove he had no drug addiction. He also signed a contract with advocate Zibeyda Sadigova to be represented by her.

On 4 December 2023, Guliyev was detained upon leaving his apartment and taken to the 28th Police Station in Yasamal district, where he was arrested on drug-related charges.

Guliyev claims that law enforcement agencies had identified him as the source of the interview and subsequently framed him for drug possession.