Oppositionist Gumbatov detained after discharge from mental clinic

Agil Gumbatov, an Azerbaijani oppositionist, was detained the day after his discharge from the mental clinic.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 30, Agil Gumbatov, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), was sent to forced treatment after criticizing the Azeri leadership in social networks.

On April 1, Gumbatov was released from the mental clinic. On the same day, he posted his 1.5-hour-long video statement on the Facebook, in which he told that he had been detained when he was removing garbage at his work in a Baku suburb. According to his story, he was taken to the mental clinic located in the village of Mashtaga.

"The police informed the clinic that allegedly two residents of the village of Zirya had complained that I behaved immorally in some public place ... This is an absolute and heinous lie. Based on the police statement, the chief physician of the clinic decided to place me under forced treatment. However, the court satisfied my complaint, referring to the decision of the medical expert commission, stating that this was not necessary," said Gumbatov, stating that the real reason for his forced placement into the clinic was his public criticism of the President of Azerbaijan.

In his video, Gumbatov again criticized the Azerbaijan authorities for "not paying children's benefits and not thinking about people." He was detained again on April 2, the oppositionist asserts.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 2, 2020 at 11:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.