Court rejects journalist’s complaint about restriction on rights

On September 10, Judge Rafail Sadykhov of the Khatai District Court denied the complaint of detained “Toplum TV” journalist Mushvig Jabbar, who had argued that he was not allowed to grant a power of attorney to his relatives, a lawyer Nazim Musayev told Turan.

The need for the power of attorney arose because, prior to his arrest, Jabbar had purchased a car at an auction. While the vehicle was being transported to Azerbaijan, Jabbar was detained. Since May, the car has been held at customs, accruing storage fees. To clear the car through customs, Jabbar needs to issue a power of attorney to his relatives. However, the detention center’s administration has refused, citing a prohibition by the investigator.

According to the lawyer, the judge rejected the petition, citing the lack of documents for the car’s import from abroad. "However, this is not just about the car, which is unrelated to the criminal case. A person held in detention has legal rights to issue a power of attorney to their relatives," the lawyer stated.

On March 6-8, nine employees of “Toplum TV” and its partner organization, the Institute for Democratic Initiatives, were detained and accused of smuggling foreign currency. Seven individuals were arrested, and two were placed under police supervision. Human rights activists have declared the defendants in this case as political prisoners, and international organizations have called for their release.