Appeals Court Did Not Release Rufat Safarov

On December 11, the Baku Court of Appeal considered an appeal regarding the detention of human rights defender Rufat Safarov.  Safarov’s lawyer, Bahruz Bayramov, stated that the defense requested the annulment of his arrest due to the lack of grounds for criminal prosecution. If this was not possible, the lawyers asked for the measure of restraint to be changed to house arrest.

The lawyer noted that Safarov was detained on December 3 while speaking to him on the phone at 17:06. The conversation was interrupted because the person recognized as the victim attacked Safarov.

The lawyer emphasized that Safarov was immediately detained, and the police took him directly to the investigative agency, bypassing the preliminary inquiry, and within two hours, a criminal case was initiated against him. All of this confirms that Safarov's arrest was planned.

Another lawyer, Roshana Rahimova, stated that Safarov rejects the charges, considering them politically motivated and linked to his human rights work. Safarov was encouraged by the information from his lawyers about his being awarded the U.S. State Department's prize in absentia. However, the Appeals Court rejected the appeal.

*Safarov was arrested on December 3. He was charged under three Articles of the Criminal Code: 178.3.2 (fraud causing significant damage), 221.1 (hooliganism), and 127.2.3 (intentional infliction of minor bodily harm in a dangerous manner or out of hooligan motives).

Safarov denied the charges and claimed he was being persecuted for his human rights activities and the U.S. State Department's award.