Appeal court keeps paralyzed activist in custody

The Baku Court of Appeal (BCA), presided over by judge Farid Eyubov, heard an appeal against the refusal to transfer paralyzed activist Famil Khalilov to house arrest on 22 May.

The appeal was not satisfied and the court of appeal left Khalilov in custody, his lawyer Bahruz Bayramov told Turan.

He noted that the defense had exhausted domestic mechanisms for appealing the activist's arrest and would now appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

According to the lawyer, the proceedings were held with the participation of Khalilov himself.

Famil said that for 17 days now he has been under arrest, where he is in agony because of the need to ask other people for everything. His hands are paralyzed, he can't even drink water himself...,’ the lawyer said.

Meanwhile, the activist told the court that he was arrested because he criticized the government on social media. Famil said that accusing him of drug trafficking while both his arms are paralyzed is totally absurd. Famil regarded keeping him in custody in such a state as torture, Bayramov continued.

Khalilov also said that while he was in exile in Sweden, the Swedish government fully paid for his medical treatment and medication.

When resolving the issue of his deportation, according to Famil, the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan undertook to take over his treatment and medicine. However, no state assistance was provided to him for 8 months after his return to Azerbaijan.

*Khalilov lived in Sweden for several years, hoping to get asylum. Every three months he received special injections, which alleviated his condition. A year ago, after his deportation to Azerbaijan, he was deprived of medical care and his condition worsened.

Despite the paralysis of his arms, Khalilov was active on social networks and wrote on his computer with his toes. He criticised the authorities and called for participation in protests.

Khalilov was detained on 4 May. The activist was charged under Article 234.4.3 (drug trafficking on a large scale) of the Criminal Code. He faces up to 12 years of imprisonment.