Baku: The final hearing in the criminal case against Murad Guliyev, who faced charges of making public calls against the state, concluded with a verdict delivered in absentia by the Baku Court on Grave Crimes. The hearing, presided over by Judge Mahira Karimova, resulted in Guliyev being sentenced to six years in prison.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Murad Gudrat oglu Guliyev was prosecuted under Article 281.1 of the Criminal Code. This article deals with making open calls to forcibly seize power, detain authorities, change the constitutional order, or disrupt the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Guliyev, who fled the investigation and is currently outside Azerbaijan's borders, has been declared a wanted person. The Binagadi District Court had previously ordered pre-trial detention in absentia on February 15 of this year.

Further developments in the case occurred on September 12, when charges were amended, and Guliyev was prosecuted as a suspect under Article 281.2. This article addresses repeated or group acts of making open calls against the state. It was reported that on September 23, 2019, via the 'Murad Guliyev' Facebook page, and on December 24, 2023, through the 'RaffNaff' YouTube channel, Guliyev, in collusion with others, made public calls advocating the use of force against the Azerbaijani government.