TRIALS IN JULY 2021
14 July
The Court of Appeal has left the activist of “Muslim Unity” Movement in custody
Razi Humbatov
On 14 July, the Baku Court of Appeal chaired by judge Hasan Ahmadov considered a complaint against the arrest of a member of the Muslim Unity Movement (MUM), Razi Humbatov.
According to lawyer Javad Javadov, at the trial Razi Humbatov declared that physical pressure was exerted on him during his detention.
“In this regard, we will complain to the prosecutor’s office,” the lawyer said.
He noted that Humbatov would not plead guilty to the charges against him.
“Razi Humbatov said that he would not plead guilty. In court, he said that he was persecuted for critical posts on social networks, for a public campaign against drug addiction, putting up posters against drugs. Humbatov said that he did not have any drugs, he was a religious person and it would be a shame for him to engage in such activities,” Javadov said.
The lawyer said that the defense would continue legal steps to release Humbatov from custody and would file a petition to change the preventive measure into house arrest.
It should be added that Humbatov was detained on 7 July in the village of Jeyranbatan.
Finally, three days later, the lawyer managed to find out that on July 8, the Narimanov district court chose a preventive measure against him in the form of arrest for a period of 4 months in keeping with Article 234.4.3 (Large-scale drug trafficking) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. Under this Article, he faces a sentence of up to 12 years of imprisonment.
The MUM links the arrest of Razi Humbatov with his criticism of the authorities in social networks, as well as with his active struggle against the spread of drugs among young people.
15 July
The trial in the “Ganja case”
Yunis Safarov
On 15 July, the trial in the “Ganja case” continued at the Baku Serious Crimes Court. The defendants in this case are 12 accused of terrorism, including Yunis Safarov, who was arrested for the attempt on the life of the former head of Ganja Elmar Valiyev and a police officer.
Today, the lawyers said concluding speeches. The lawyers of all the defendants, with the exception of Yunis Safarov, asked to acquit the defendants. At the next meeting, on 29 July, the speeches of the lawyers will continue. Earlier, the state prosecutor asked the court to sentence Safarov to life imprisonment, and the rest of the accused to 18-20 years in prison. During the trial, the relatives of the accused held a protest action in the street.
They declared the innocence of their loved ones and not a fair trial. On 3 July 2018, an attempt was made on the life of the then head of the executive power of the city of Ganja Elmar Valiyev. A resident of Ganja Yunis Safarov wounded him and his bodyguard.
After that, a protest rally in front of the Ganja administration building was scheduled for July 10. Riots broke out in the city that day, during which two high-ranking police officers were killed. This was followed by mass arrests of believers and others.
For these events, a lawsuit was initiated against 70 people. The defendants were sentenced from six to 18 years in prison. About 10 people were released on parole. The trial of Yunis Safarov and 11 others began in January 2020.
28 July
“Tovuz case” lawsuit is heard in the Court of Appeal
The inmates’ parents are in the Court of Appeal
On 28 July, at the Baku Court of Appeal. The Court chaired by the Judge Ilqar Murguzov held a trial of 7 people arrested on charges of ISIS financing (better known in the media as the “Tovuz case”).
The motions of the lawyer Elchin Sadigov has not been granted.
“I have filed a motion to consider the appeal of the court partially by means of a trial. The defendants wished to testify at the trial of the first instance court, but the court denied their testimonies. I therefore petitioned to the Court of Appeal to let the defendants have the last word. And then I filed a motion that the essence of the charge be clarified to the convicts. However, those motions of mine were not successful. I also asked the Court to question Imran Velibekov who had been involved in the case, but this petition was not granted either,” said the lawyer Elchin Sadigov.