NIDA Civic Movement member Elgiz Gahramanov, who has been unheard from for the past four days, has turned out to be in custody. Elgiz Gahramanov was detained together with his friend by plainclothesmen at noon on August 12. His friend was released several hours later, but the activist himself was not freed. His family members at first decided to wait and not to publicize the issue, but having contacted the 102 hotline of the Ministry of Internal Affairs they were unable to obtain information. After the issue was made public today (August 15), it has emerged that Elgiz Gahramanov is charged under Article 234.4.3 (illegal purchase or storage with a view of selling, manufacturing, processing, transportation, transfer or selling of narcotics or psychotropic substances at a large amount) of the Criminal Code and has been ordered detained for 4 months by Narimanov District Court’s decision of 13 August 2016. According to the Criminal Code, the person charged under this Article is punished by imprisonment for a period of five to twelve years and confiscation of his property.
Gahramanov became a NIDA member in 2015. He is a graduate of Ankara University.
Note that Eynulla Fatullayev has published an article titled “Fetullah Gulen and Ali Karimli’s Spy Network” on its website haqqin.az, which states that after the arrest of the leaders of NIDA in 2013, this organization’s members came under the influence of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) led by Ali Karimli and Gulenist Elgiz Gahramanli, a close companion of Ali Karimli, took control of NIDA. “It was him and a group of young activists from NIDA who launched a social media campaign to protect Gulenism,” the author writes.
Ali Karimli, chairman of the opposition party APFP, has said that the authorities are having a complex for remaining silent during the coup attempt in Turkey on the night of July 15 and failing to express a timely support for Turkey’s legitimate government elected by Turkish people.
“As the National Council, we have announced our planned rallies related to the upcoming referendum. They are very concerned about the rallies. The recent arrests serve to increase the fear in the society ahead of the rallies. Very soon, our people will take to the streets for peaceful rallies and ruin all your plans,” Ali Karimli said while responding to the accusations against him.