On the night of May 5, the body of former Azerbaijani political prisoner Bayram Mammadov was removed from the water in Istanbul.

The police are investigating the causes of the death of the young activist.

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Bayram Mammadov became famous in Azerbaijan in 2016, when he was detained together with Qiyas Ibrahim after they left an inscription ‘Happy slaves day’ on a monument to Heydar Aliyev on the eve of the ex-president’s birthday.

Later, the court sentenced both activists to long terms of imprisonment, accusing them of drug dealing. Bayram Mammadov and Qiyas Ibrahim were pardoned in 2019.

Several months ago, Bayram Mammadov went to Turkey, and in two days he was going to return to Baku.

His friends say the death was unlikely to be suicide.

“While in Istanbul, I visited Bayram the other day. We talked for a long time. He got into a master’s degree program in Europe. He was preparing for this program in Istanbul. He was busy, so he even closed his social media accounts. He had big plans for the homeland. He said that he would return to Azerbaijan after receiving a good education.

“So far, the details of the incident are unknown, but sites close to the government are already writing that it was suicide. But the investigation has not even begun yet.

“It is not known how Bayram ended up on the shore during a period when it is impossible to go outside in Turkey. On the other side where it all happened, there are usually a hundred policemen on duty. How did it happen that they did not stop Bayram, after all, it is forbidden to go out? There is not a single witness to the incident.

“What is the purpose of those who circulate the news of suicide? I talked with friends, tomorrow we will find out the details, ”Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli, now living in Germany, wrote on his Facebook page.

Bayram Mammadov