Citizens call on the president to release Hilal Mamedov

About   4,000 people from different regions of Azerbaijan signed a petition to President Ilham Aliyev calling for the release from prison Hilal Mamedov, the editor of "Tolyshi Sado".

The campaign to collect signatures was held  by a number of public organizations in the country, including the Committee to Protect Mamedov. He was arrested on 21 June 2012, and charged with drug trafficking, treason, inciting hatred.

Hilal Mamedov  has been in detention  for more than a year on trumped-up and absurd charges, said on  July 16 at the event on the completion of the campaign Mehtibek Safarov, the head of the Public Association "Azeri-Talysh."

"Hilal Mamedov  has been deprived of effective legal protection.  The judge of  Baku Serious Crimes Court, Azer Orujov, does not allow  Mamedov to prove his innocence, interrupts his speech, interfere in matters of lawyers, and  openly defends the prosecution  of witnesses," Safarov said.

Mamedov  is persecuted for active citizenship, human rights activities, participation in protecting the rights of his predecessor as head of the Talysh Cultural Centre, Novruzali Mamedov, who died in custody.

"We do not want  Hilal Mamedov  to face the fate of Novruzali Mamedov, and therefore we ask the President to intervene and put an end to injustice,"  Safarov said.

Arzuman Mejidli, a member of the Committee  to Protect Mamedov’s rights,  believes that the arrest of the editor  of "Tolyshi sado" was sanctioned by the political leadership. "However, we still appeal to the head of state, based on the principles of humanity, put an end to the prosecution of the scientist,"  said Mejidli.

"The trial  in the case of Hilal Mameovym  is a parody on justice. In the presence of the judge witnesses, the police officers,  insulted Hilal Mamedov," said youth activist Azar Kazimzadeh, member of the Committee  to Protect  Mamedov’s rights.

"Hilal Mamedov is a prominent  representative of the intellectuals of the Talysh people. He always spoke in defense of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the equality of all peoples of the country, " said the deputy chairman of the Movement of Azerbaijani Intellectuals, Seyran Rafiev.

The appeal to the president noted that the investigation and trial  in the case of Mamedov do not fit into any legal framework and are  defiantly conducted unfairly.

The authors of the appeal believe  that the criminal case against H.Mamedov was ordered, biased and absurd.

"We consider the unlawful arrest of a specialist in the study of national and spiritual values ​​and cultural heritage of his people, as  impact on human rights and democratic values.

We ask you  on the eve of  the elections to  show  your humanism, and to assist in the release of H.Mamedov,"  reads the appeal. —06C—