Elvin Mustafayev Held in Solitary Confinement for a Month

Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the “Workers’ Table” Trade Union Confederation, has reportedly been held in solitary confinement (punishment cell) for nearly a month. His family and lawyer have raised serious concerns about his health and are demanding his immediate release from the cell.
According to his father, Elvin was first placed in the punishment cell of Prison No. 13 on May 6 and later transferred to Prison No. 6, where he is expected to remain until June 29.
His lawyer, Zibeydə Sadıqova, stated that despite efforts to obtain official documentation from the Penitentiary Service, her inquiries have gone unanswered. She confirmed Elvin’s location through the hotline and has vowed to file additional complaints with the Penitentiary Service and the Ombudsman’s Office.
Mustafayev suffers from chronic stomach problems, which cause related dental pain, and his condition reportedly worsens under stress—making prolonged isolation particularly dangerous.
He was placed in solitary confinement after joining a hunger strike on May 6 in support of opposition politician Tofiq Yaqublu and other political prisoners.
Elvin was arrested in August 2023 and sentenced to 3 years in prison in January 2024 on drug charges (Article 234.1-1 of the Criminal Code). He denies the charges and claims drugs were planted on him.
Mustafayev is one of four imprisoned members of the “Workers’ Table” union—alongside Afiəddin Məmmədov, Ayxan İsrafilov, and Möhyəddin Orucov—all of whom maintain that the charges against them are politically motivated and fabricated.