Trial begins for three Saudi nationals accused of indecent behaviour at Baku’s Alley of Martyrs PHOTO/VIDEO

The Sabail District Court in Baku has begun hearings in the case against three Saudi Arabian citizens accused of engaging in indecent behaviour at the Alley of Martyrs, one of Azerbaijan’s most revered national sites.

The defendants — Alzaman Mahdi Ali, Algabir Mohammad Hussein, and Algabir Mahdi Mohammad — were detained in August after a video they recorded and shared on social media sparked public outrage. The footage appeared to show the men behaving inappropriately at the memorial, where many of Azerbaijan’s national heroes and martyrs are buried, Caliber.Az reports.

The case is being presided over by Judge Azar Taghiyev. The defendants are represented by lawyers Vasif Hasanov, Natig Mammadov, and Rufat Gadirli. Eldaniz Farajev, a relative of martyr Etibar Farajev, who is buried in the Alley, attended the hearing as a victim representative.

During the first session, the court confirmed the defendants’ personal details and explained their rights and obligations. The defence filed a motion requesting the termination of the criminal proceedings and the cancellation of the defendants’ pre-trial detention, arguing that their clients were unaware of the significance of the site.

“In Arab countries, graves and tombstones look different than in Azerbaijan,” one defence lawyer told the court. “The defendants joked among themselves that their graves would not be like those in the Alley. But then they learned that martyrs were buried there and gave the military salute characteristic of their country."

The court rejected the motion. The next hearing is scheduled for November 27.

According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the three Saudi nationals arrived in Baku as tourists on August 13 for a five-day visit. On August 17, they filmed and posted the controversial video from the Alley of Martyrs.

📌 17 августа трое иностранных граждан совершили непристойные действия на Аллее шехидов, сняли это на видео и распространили в социальных сетях, сообщили в пресс-службе МВД.

В ходе расследования было установлено, что иностранцы прибыли в Баку 13 августа как туристы на 5 дней. По… pic.twitter.com/y5ghinYUno

— Caliber (@Caliberaz) August 18, 2025

The men have been charged under Article 245 of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, which relates to acts of disrespect at places of commemoration and provides for penalties ranging from correctional labor to up to five years in prison.

By Sabina Mammadli