Court refused to transfer Rail Abbasov to house arrest

On 4 April, the Baku court for serious crimes held a preparatory hearing on the trial of public activist Rail Abbasov.

During the hearing, lawyer Elchin Sadigov claimed that the criminal case had been falsified, naming the reason for Abbasov's arrest as active protection of public activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev's rights.

The lawyer asked to change the measure of restraint to house arrest. He also requested to send an enquiry to the Interior Ministry whether there were criminal cases against the victims and witnesses.

The state prosecutor opposed the house arrest and left the second motion unlitigated.

The victim Asker Khaziev also asked to support the request of the defence to transfer Abbasov to house arrest. Nonetheless, the court refused to transfer him to house arrest, and left the other motion unsatisfied. The next trial is scheduled for 18 April.

Remind that the Nasimi Court of Baku on 20 September 2023 arrested Abbasov for 4 months on charges under Article 178.3.2 (large-scale fraud) of the Criminal Code. Abbasov denies the charge, believing the real reason for the prosecution to be his active participation in defence of the rights of activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, who was arrested back in December 2022.

Human rights activists recognised both of them as political prisoners.-