Azerbaijani court sentences four over attempted Soviet flag march

A court in Baku, Azerbaijan, has sentenced four men convicted of spreading communist propaganda on social media and attempting to organise a march carrying Soviet Union flags in the capital.

The court sentenced Ibrahim Asadli and Abdulla Ibrahimli to two years in prison each, while Elchin Bayramli and Mehman Zeynalov were each given 18-month prison terms, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The case stems from an incident in November 2025, when videos circulated on social media showing a group attempting to stage a march in Baku with Soviet flags to promote communist ideology.

Following an operation by Azerbaijan's Ministry of Internal Affairs, investigators identified and detained the four alleged organisers.

They were initially placed in pretrial detention for three months.

The defendants were convicted under Article 233 of Azerbaijan's Criminal Code, which covers organising or actively participating in actions that disrupt public order.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov