On June 12 at around 6 pm, Elshan Hasanov – former prisoner of conscience, now coordinator of the Azerbaijan Without Political Prisoners Public Alliance – was briefly detained near Koroglu metro station for photographing the fence blocking a nearby underground crosswalk leading to Gymnasium Palace.
Hasanov was told that due to the European Championship on Rhythmic Gymnastics the underpass was temporarily closed to regular people and only competition participants could use it.
Hasanov was first taken to the metro police station. One of the policemen there wanted to free him, whereas another officer checking his passport ordered him to be taken to the Nizami District Police Office. Hasanov was held there for two and a half hours without any reason before being released.
While at the police office, Hasanov, who is a II group disabled, felt bad and asked for medical aid, but his request was ignored.
Note that recently Elshan Hasanov gave a speech at the newly-established Center to Resist Repression under the Institute for Peace and Democracy.