Jamil Hasanli: charges against NIDA activists are ridiculous and absurd

Today Baku Serious Crimes Court continued the trial in the case of seven activists of NIDA and member of the "Free Youth", Ilkin Rustamzade. They are accused of organizing riots on March 10, 2013 in Baku using explosives, and drug possession.

Witnesses  made  testimonies at the trial. The first testimony was given by Kamal Rasulzade, the officer of the Antiterrorism Center of the National Security Minister.

He reported  that an  operational information was received on preparing riots in Baku in early March by a  group of people. In this connection an  inspection was conducted in the house of Bakhtiyar Guliyev in the village of Sabunchi.

"We conducted a search and found  in a bedroom close a bag with suspected narcotic substance, and a bottle with gasoline, smelling liquid, in the yard," said the detective.

Lawyer Elton Guliyev said that the protocol made when searching a house   was not legal.  The protocol was to be made by an investigator, and not  an operative  officer. In addition, there are violations  in the protocol, the lawyer said.

However, one of the judges, Eldar Ismailov  objected and  said that the protocol  was legitimate.

Guliyev, in turn,  condemned the judge of bias and made ​​a motion for a replacement.

In turn, the prosecutor stated that the withdrawal  was based "on a fictional basis" , and demanded  to fine the lawyer 220 manat. Withdrawal was not accepted , but a lawyer was not fined.

The criminal case against the activists and organizations NIDA "Free Youth" is fabricated and   is politically motivated.  It was once again confirmed during the trial, said  the head of the National Council, Jamil Hasanli.

Commenting  on the testimonies of the officer Kamal Rasluzade , Hasanli called them "bias and lack of professionalism of the investigation."

"Obviously, the investigation could  make such  violation only with the permission of arrest at the highest political level. Even during Soviet times there were not such violations. At that time, the rights of citizens of Azerbaijan  were protected more reliably," said Hasanli.

Another absurdity Hasanli called the fact that  the accused were questioned immediately after the arrest , and then only after six months.

"Such behavior against the accused of a serious crime is not clear. This demonstrates once again that  the case is  politically motivated and investigators were waiting for new instructions," said Hasanli. However, Hasanli  was pleased by  the strength and courage of young people.

"I watched many trials in the years of independence, but such fortitude , self-righteous , like Rashadat , Rashad , Zaur , İlkin , Uzeyir , Mamed, and  Bakhtiar  have,  I have not seen . They are educated  and bright guys. Flagrant injustice, lies and slander did not break them. They perceive the court as a farce and defend their position without fear of a prison sentence. Azerbaijan's future belongs to such youth," said Hasanli .

The head of the NCDF stressed that "the absurdity of this case is that the main "proof of the charges are "Molotov cocktails" , but neither the judge nor the prosecutor, nor the accused  know what it is."

"And even  the officer speaking against the defendants said that  in the  house of  Bakhtiyar Guliyev were found bottles of liquid with an odor of gasoline. We are talking about the withdrawal of the bottles with gasoline, which then  turned into the Molotov cocktails," added Hasanli. –16С06-