Imran Aliyev is a cyber security expert and co-founder of Majlis.Info, a website monitoring the work of the legislative branch of the Azerbaijani government. Since 2007, Aliyev has been involved in election monitoring. In March 2022, Aliyev was harassed and held incommunicado for 20 hours by the Interior Ministry’s Organised Crime Department. 

On April 18, 2024, masked individuals arrested Aliyev at Baku airport after he passed through border control and waited to board a flight to Istanbul. He was then turned over to police. Some sources report he was severely tortured in police custody and forced to sign documents. 

Aliyev’s arrest occurred shortly after the pro-government website Qafqazinfo published an article claiming an investigation had revealed additional information and evidence in the case of Abzas Media, Toplum TV, the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, and the Third Republic. The article claimed that collaboration between Aliyev and “grant smugglers” had been made public. The article also stated the goals of the “grant projects” were anti-national and were designed to strike a blow at Azerbaijan’s independent foreign policy.

Aliyev was charged with smuggling under Criminal Code Article 206.3.2 in relation to the Abzas Media case. On April 19, 2024, the Khatai District Court set his pre-trial detention for two months and one day. On June 13, 2024, his pre-trial detention was extended for another two months and seven days to August 2024.

On August 22, 2024, the Khatai District Court of Baku extended Aliyev’s pre-trial detention for three months.