On December 1, a rally was held in Baku's Fountain Square demanding the release of Saleh Rustamli, the former head of the Gadabay District Executive Power, who now is now on day 31 of a hunger strike in prison.

Among those detained are many activists, including former political prisoners Tofig Yagublu, Ilkin Rustamzade, Mete Turksoy, Nigar Hazi, and many others.

Interior Ministry spokesman Ehsan Zahidov said that those who tried to hold the rally had grossly violated the law.

"Because the action has not been agreed, it coincides with a period of the pandemic. Therefore, such actions will be resolutely prevented."

He noted that if there are detainees, the issue will be investigated, and a legal assessment will be made.

Official Baku also disagrees with the idea that there are political prisoners in the country.

Saleh Rustamli, who is currently in prison, announced that he started a hunger strike on November 5, 31 days ago. His relatives and lawyer said that Rustamli's refusal to comply with the Amnesty Act, which had been implemented, was his illegal detention for more than three years and the confiscation of his family's property.

Opposition member Tofig Yagublu, who took part in the protest yesterday, said he had been beaten by police and tortured during his detention.

"I was arrested and beaten and taken to the police station. A special group from the gang (supposedly the Interior Ministry's Main Department for Combating Organised Crime) came to the station. I was put in a separate room, handcuffed, [they] put a bag over my head. I was severely beaten. They took me away. They beat me again on the way. They took a picture of my face somewhere and sent it to someone and gave a report. They also looked at me and said they did not like the injuries and did not pass the test,” Tofig Yagublu said.

Yagublu said he was not only taken to the police station but also on a long drive and tortured in an unknown location.

He said that he went to the hospital by ambulance due to head injuries and was examined by a doctor.

"I received so many blows to the head that it was necessary to go to the hospital. The ambulance advised that there may be a brain haemorrhage, a fracture of the bone marrow, so there should be a medical examination," added Tofig Yagublu.

According to him, he joined the protest in support of Saleh Rustamov, who was on a hunger strike in prison.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said that allegations that Tofig Yagublu was beaten at a police station and subjected to special pressure were unfounded.

"However, despite all this, the allegations will be investigated in due course," said Interior Ministry spokesman Elshad Hajiyev.

The United States Embassy in Azerbaijan has issued a statement regarding the December 1 rally in Baku.

"We are deeply concerned about the violence against peaceful opponents in Baku on December 1 and support the freedom of assembly and expression enshrined in the Constitution of Azerbaijan," the embassy said.

Saleh Rustamli was arrested on May 8, 2018, on drug charges. Two days later, his nephew Vidadi Rustamli was detained on the same charges. Then, on May 25, three functionaries of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) (Agil Maharramov, Babek Hasanov and Ruslan Nasirov) were arrested. After that, it became clear that the charges had changed. According to an official statement issued in connection with their detention, APFP functionaries and Rustamli are accused of money laundering. The PPFA denied the accusation.

The Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced Rustamov to 7 years and 3 months, Maharramov to 4 years and Hasanov to 3 years in prison. V.Rustamli and R.Nasirova were given suspended sentences. Not all of them pleaded guilty in court. Hasanov was pardoned on March 18 this year.