On September 5, the Sabaill District Court of Baku on rejected Bahruz Samadov's appeal regarding the unlawful search of his apartment

According to information from social media, as Samadov was being led into the courtroom, he shouted: “Long live peace! Long live the brotherhood of peoples!”

Lawyer Zibeyda Sadigova informed that the search of Samadov’s apartment was conducted without a court order. The defense requested the court to declare the search protocol unlawful and to return the seized items. However, the court denied the appeal. The lawyer plans to file an appeal.

On August 21, during the search, Samadov’s computers, phones, certifications, and books were seized from his apartment. Samadov was detained on August 21, and two days later, he was sentenced to four months in prison on charges of treason.

The European Union and several international NGOs have condemned the prosecution of Samadov, known for his pacifist views. He is also recognized for his critical articles and commentary about the Azerbaijani authorities published in Western media and analytical journals. He is an author for OC Media and https://bakuresearchinstitute.org/.