Hamid Abbasi Sentenced to 9 Years Impriosnement On Bogus Charges
Hamid Abbasi, a resident of the city of Selmas in South Azerbaijan ho makes a living as a door installation master has been sentenced to 9 years, 9 months and 5 days in prison. Abbasi shared his experiences with the public along with documents as he prepares to go to prison for 6 years of this sentence.
“My brother took refuge in the US, we have become hostages ever since!” According to Abbasi, the nightmare began when his brother Javad fled the country and sought asylum in the US. The regime began using his family as a means of pressure to get his brother back. Hamid was called to the intelligence center many times, his mother was made to cry and make phone calls, and their house was raided. As if that wasn’t enough, even his youngest son Atila was taken in for questioning.
On the morning of November 9, 2024, security forces raided both his workplace and his home at the same time. Hamid Abbasi was interrogated at the Selmas Intelligence Department for 10 days. He was subjected to physical and psychological torture, and was knocked out with poisoned food. He was forced to sign documents whose contents he did not know, while blindfolded. “Either you will sign these papers or you will serve 10 years in prison,” they said. Hamid refused to sign – that’s when the aggravated judicial process began for him.
Almost all of the accusations against him are absurd and full of contradictions. A few rusty rings found in his shop were charged with “illegal excavation”. The posts he liked on social media or received via private message were considered “anti-regime propaganda”. At one point, the term “shotgun” in the accusations was changed to “Kalashnikov bullet” in the court decision!
Hamid’s young son Atila was interrogated as well to pressure his father. This trauma destroyed both the child’s health and academic success. The court tried to silence Hamid Abbasi with consecutive lawsuits. The bails reached millions, his brother’s house was mortgaged. But he did not stay silent.
Hamid Abbasi was sentenced to a total of 9 years, 9 months and 5 days in prison for “propaganda against the regime”, “collaboration with opposition groups”, “insulting the leadership”, “spreading discord”, “illegal excavation”, and “carrying an unlicensed weapon”. However, according to the law, only the 6-year portion of this sentence will be applied.
Abbasi emphasizes that he is innocent and that all his activities are within the legal and peaceful framework. He demands an independent and fair trial. This case is not just the tragedy of one man; it is becoming a symbol of the oppression that thousands of people in Southern Azerbaijan are experiencing.
