Bahruz Samedov Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

Bahruz Samedov, a PhD candidate at Charles University in the Czech Republic who was accused of treason, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The verdict was delivered today by the Baku Serious Crimes Court.

Earlier, on 20 June, during a previous hearing, the state prosecutor had requested a 16-year sentence for Samedov.

On 21 June, Samedov reportedly attempted suicide in protest against the prosecutor’s request for a 16-year prison term. According to his grandmother, Zibeyda Osmanova, who spoke to Meydan TV, his cellmate saved him at the last moment.

Since 19 June, Bahruz Samedov has been on a hunger strike in protest against his detention.

Samedov is known for his academic work on the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict and his critical writings about the Azerbaijani government.

He was arrested on 21 August 2024 by officers of the State Security Service.

The Sabail District Court ordered his pre-trial detention under Article 274 of the Criminal Code (treason).

Samedov denies the charges and maintains his innocence. He has emphasized that the treason accusations are fabricated and pointed out in his testimony that, although accused of cooperating with Armenian intelligence services, no evidence has been presented to support this claim.

Samedov has stated that he is a pacifist and opposes war — views reflected in his speeches and articles. He believes that he is being silenced through a sham charge for his peaceful activism.