Giyas Ibrahim (full name: Giyas Hasan oglu Ibrahim, Azerbaijani: Qiyas Həsən oğlu İbrahimov; born August 3, 1994, Tovuz District, Azerbaijan) is an Azerbaijani civil and political activist, former political prisoner, and former member of the "NIDA" Civic Movement (2016–2019).
Background Giyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov were abducted by police from the street early in the morning on May 10, 2016, after writing the slogans "Happy Slave Holiday!" (Azerbaijani: Qul Bayramınız Mübarəк!) and "Fucк the System" on the pedestal of a monument erected in honor of Heydar Aliyev, the former President of Azerbaijan (1993–2003) and father of the current president, Ilham Aliyev, during the night of May 9–10, 2016. Since 2000, Azerbaijan has celebrated the Flower Festival on May 10, dedicated to the birthday of the country's former president. Giyas and Bayram played on the phrase "Gül bayramınız mübarəк!" ("Happy Flower Festival!") by changing the first letter of the first word. The result was "Qul bayramınız mübarəк!" — "Happy Slave Holiday!".
After being subjected to torture and ill-treatment, criminal proceedings were initiated against them, and they were arrested under Articles 234.4.1 and 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (illegal sale of narcotic or psychotropic substances committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy or by an organized group and on a large scale). Official claims that the young men, coming from poor families, had acquired such a large quantity of drugs were met with skepticism by the public. Discussions in local media, social networks, statements by their lawyers, as well as declarations by local and international organizations regarding the arrests, asserted that the charges were fabricated and the prosecution politically motivated.
Following their detention, Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov were subjected to torture and inhuman treatment both at the Main Police Department of Baku City and at the Narimanov District Police Department.
A number of international human rights organizations described the arrests as politically motivated. Amnesty International declared both young men "prisoners of conscience." On October 25, 2016, the Baku Court for Grave Crimes sentenced Giyas Ibrahimov to 10 years of imprisonment. In December 2017, an additional criminal case was initiated against Giyas Ibrahimov under Article 289.2 of the Criminal Code ("contempt of court"), and his sentence was extended by another three months.
He and Bayram Mammadov were released in March 2019 by presidential decree.
After his release, he continued his political activism and was subjected to persecution and detentions by police in April 2019, as well as in June, September, and October 2020. In July 2023, he was arrested for one month. He is known for his firm anti-Aliyev stance, left-wing ideas, and anti-war views.
Early years Giyas Hasan oglu Ibrahimov was born on August 3, 1994, in Tovuz.
In 2012, he enrolled at the Baku Slavic University.
At the time of his arrest in May 2016, he was a fourth-year student. He frequently participated in intellectual competitions and received awards.
While in prison, he joined the Nida Civic Movement and remained affiliated with the movement until the end of 2019.
Graffiti on the Heydar Aliyev monument and arrest (2016) Beginning on the morning of May 10, 2016, photographs showing graffiti on the monument of former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev in central Baku spread across social media and several news portals. The photographs clearly showed the phrases "Happy Slave Holiday!" (Azerbaijani: Qul Bayramınız Mübarəк!) and "Fucк the System" written on the monument's pedestal, along with anarchist symbols painted beside the slogans. Since 2000, Azerbaijan has celebrated the Flower Festival on May 10, dedicated to the birthday of the country's former president. The authors of the graffiti played on the phrase "Gül bayramınız mübarəк!" ("Happy Flower Festival!") by changing the first letter of the first word. The result was "Qul bayramınız mübarəк!" — "Happy Slave Holiday!".
On May 10, reports about the disappearance of two young activists spread on social media and news portals. However, official information was only published on May 11, stating that the two young men, Giyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov, had been detained on May 10 on charges of drug possession. According to information published on the official website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: As a result of operational-search measures carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Department of the Main Police Department of Baku City, the 22nd Police Department of the Nasimi District, and the 25th Police Department of the Nizami District, 2.607 grams of heroin were allegedly discovered and confiscated from Giyas Ibrahimov in the Nasimi District, while an additional 1 kilogram and 10 grams of heroin were allegedly found during a search of his apartment. Similarly, as a result of operational-search measures conducted by the Anti-Narcotics Department of the Main Police Department of Baku City and the 12th Police Department of the Sabunchu District, 2.904 grams of heroin were allegedly discovered and confiscated from Bayram Mammadov, a resident of the Sabunchu District, and an additional 1 kilogram and 150 grams of heroin were allegedly found during a search of his home. The official claims that the young men, who came from poor families, possessed such large quantities of narcotics were met with skepticism by the public. Discussions in local media, social networks, statements by their lawyers, and declarations by both local and international organizations concerning the arrests asserted that the charges were fabricated and that the criminal prosecution was politically motivated.
Torture and inhuman treatment On May 12, by the decision of Judge Ibrahim Ibrahimli of the Khatai District Court of Baku, activists Giyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov were placed in pretrial detention for four months. According to lawyer Elchin Sadigov, Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov were subjected to torture and inhuman treatment after their detention. They were first taken to the Main Police Department of Baku City and then to the Narimanov District Police Department. Both young men were tortured there. According to the lawyer, the detainees were demanded to apologize to the Heydar Aliyev monument – they were told: "Apologize to the Aliyev monument on camera, and then we will release you." The lawyer added that under torture they were forced to sign documents confessing to possession of "drugs."
On May 16, lawyer Elchin Sadigov met with Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov at the Baku Pretrial Detention Center. He stated that traces of torture were still visible on the bodies of the young men and demanded that representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visit them immediately. In an interview with Voice of America, Sadigov stated: "Giyas Ibrahimov suffered from severe headaches, and the areas where he had been beaten were painful. It appeared that Giyas was in poor condition. The physical injuries were especially visible on Bayram Mammadov. He had closed and open wounds on his wrists, knees, body, and legs."
On May 19, the Turan Information Agency published an extensive article about the detention of Giyas Ibrahimov and the torture he allegedly endured in various police stations. Although Giyas Ibrahimov initially wrote the article himself, staff at the Baku Pretrial Detention Center confiscated the pages, stating that "writing about torture is prohibited." For this reason, lawyer Elchin Sadigov met with Giyas Ibrahimov, recorded the events of May 10 and the following days, and presented them to the public. "On May 10, 2016, around noon, I was leaving the second building of Baku Slavic University after an exam. I was about six meters from the exit when I was struck hard on the back of the head. I staggered from the blow, immediately felt a second strike, and fell face down. I was quickly lifted and forced into a blue car. There were men in civilian clothes on both sides of me and in the front seat beside the driver. They started beating and insulting me, complaining that I had written slogans on the monument," Ibrahimov stated. He was taken to the Main Police Department of Baku City, locked in a large room, and beaten again. "They mainly hit me on the head and the back of my neck with their palms. I started losing consciousness from the blows. They handcuffed my hands behind my back. They said they had brought two witnesses and that they would now ‘find drugs’ on me in front of them. They pulled something from the left pocket of my jacket and said it was drugs. I told them it was not mine and that they had put it in my pocket while I was unconscious. At that moment they started beating me again. The pain was unbearable," Ibrahimov continued. At the same time, Bayram Mammadov was allegedly being beaten in another room. When Giyas shouted and tried to call out to Bayram, his mouth was covered, his head twisted, and he was punched in the stomach. "They began beating me again and demanded that I apologize to the monument, lay flowers there, and allow Azerbaijan Television (AzTV) to come and film it. I refused. They demanded that I confess to drug-related crimes. When I refused, they beat me again. They pulled down my trousers and approached me with a baton, saying they would act immorally. I was forced to confess to false drug charges. Then they said they would go to our house, find drugs there, and that I would have to confess. I said I would not confess. They said that if I refused, they would arrest my parents," Ibrahimov wrote. During the search of his home, police allegedly placed drugs under his mother's bed and then stated: "Here they are, we found them." “On the way back they began beating me again, then grabbed me by the hair and spat in my face. After I was brought back to the Main Police Department of Baku City, I was beaten again and forced to write a confession claiming that I had purchased drugs from an Iranian citizen," Ibrahimov stated. According to his account, the beatings continued in the presence of the head of the Main Police Department of Baku City, Police Major General Mirgafar Seyidov. Ibrahimov was then taken to the temporary detention facility of the Narimanov District Police Department. There, he was allegedly forced to sweep the yard and collect cigarette butts. "They insulted me and recorded it on their phones. This continued the entire time I was there," Ibrahimov noted. On May 12, lawyer Elchin Sadigov witnessed events at the Narimanov police station, and after protesting, he was forcibly removed from the department.
No forensic medical examination regarding the torture allegedly inflicted on Giyas Ibrahimov was ordered. On May 19, the Office of the Ombudsman issued a statement saying that members of the National Preventive Group (NPG) had privately met with defendants Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov at the Baku Pretrial Detention Center. According to the statement, their bodies were examined in the presence of an NPG doctor, and no injuries were found.
Trial proceedings (May–October 2016) On May 12, by the decision of Judge Ibrahim Ibrahimli of the Khatai District Court of Baku, activists Giyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov were placed in pretrial detention for four months. On May 19, the Baku Court of Appeal rejected the appeal against the decision of the Khatai District Court to place Giyas Ibrahimov in pretrial detention. On May 20, another court hearing was held at the Khatai District Court under the chairmanship of Judge Bakhtiyar Mammadov. During the hearing, the court rejected the lawyer's motion to place Giyas Ibrahimov under house arrest. On May 26, the Baku Court of Appeal reviewed the appeal against the decision not to place Giyas Ibrahimov under house arrest. The court dismissed the appeal.