Complaints of Torture of Bagirzade is Postponed for Undetermined Period

 The Sabunchu district court has indefinitely postponed consideration of allegations that theologian Taleh Bagirzade was tortured, Turan was told by his lawyer Anar Gasimli. According to Gasimli, the postponement is because Judge Suleyman Agayev is on vacation now. The case will be transferred to another judge.

The lawyer believes that the complaint has been delayed so that physical indications of the traces of violence on Bagirzade’s body disappear. The Sabunchu district police allegedly tortured the theologian.

According to Gasimli, prosecutors have not taken any action to investigate the alleged complaints of torture of Bagirzade.  The lawyer said it is unreasonable to keep Bagirzade at the Office to Combat Organized Crime. According to him, Bagirzade should be transferred to a detention center. The fact that the theologian is still kept in that Office suggests that new charges are being prepared against him.

On April 9, a search of Bagirzade’s home resulted in the seizure of four religious books in Arabic and Farsi. At the Office to Combat Organized Crime, Bagirzade was told that investigators have witnesses of his involvement of burning the house of artist Zeinab Khanlarova.

Bagirzade is not allowed to meet with relatives. Bagirzade was arrested on March 31 on charges of illegal possession of drugs (Article 234.1). According to investigators, 1.026 heroin of heroine were confiscated from him. 

However, according to the religious activists, the real reason for his arrest is his sharp public criticism of the country authorities.-16B06-