Serj Tankian urged to join the campaign calling to release two Azerbaijani young men who were arrested for graffiti on the monument of former Azerbaijani president Hydar Aliyev.

Tankian has joined Amnesty International campaign demanding to free Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov.

“Vandalism, yes, punk rock? Definitely, but 12 years in prison? Only in a corrupt failed state like Azerbaijan. I've worked with Amnesty International for many years and their letter writing campaigns have had an incredible success rate freeing prisoners of conscience around the world. Please participate at the link below. Thanks, Serj. #Write4Rights,” Tankian said on Facebook.

Bayram Mammadov and Giyas Ibrahimov dared to criticize the state in the most public way they could. They painted a defiant message on the statue of Azerbaijan’s former president – on the eve of his birthday. The following day – 10 May 2016 – they were arrested and jailed on sham drug charges. Both young men were beaten into confessing to carrying heroin. If convicted, they face up to 12 years in prison.