Fuad Agayev, a lawyer of Rauf Mirkadirov, an arrested columnist of "Mirror" newspaper, told at a briefing on April 21 that his client refused to testify investigation.
"Mirkadyrov believes the allegations against him are baseless and refuses to testify," said the lawyer. He further reminded that he has been living in Turley for more than three years; on April 9 Mirkadirov was told that he and his wife’s accreditation were liquidated. Not any explanation was given. It happened two or three days after the Premier Erdogan returned from Baku. "Therefore, the journalist does not exclude that his expulsion was agreed with the authorities in Baku," Agayev said.
At night on April 19 he was leaving Ankara by bus with his wife; on the way he was detained and taken to the police. Mirkadirov demanded a lawyer, but was not provide with lawyer.
Turkish authorities illegally extradited Mirkadirov, as he had a right to stay there for several days. In fact, he was illegally arrested and deported , said the lawyer. Mirkadyrov considers charges against him unfounded. The investigation accuses Mirkadirov of transmission to Armenian special services the information about the capabilities and deployment of the armed forces of Azerbaijan. It allegedly took place during three events in Armenia in 2008-09.
Agayev noted that the talk was about international conferences.
Mirkadyrov could not have information relating to state secrets, but the lawyer does not exclude that the investigation may have some photos or videos where Mirkadyrov was sitting at the same table with the Armenian representatives. However, it is unserious to persecute the well-known journalists on similar grounds, the lawyer said.
The investigation alleges that the Mirkadyrov passed information to Laura Bagdasaryan, who is presented as a representative of the Armenian secret services. Bagdasaryan as a representative of civil society in Armenia, since 2001, is involved in a joint project with the Institute of Peace and Democracy in Azerbaijan , and since 2005 they have released a joint publication.
Agayev believes that mentioning the name of Bagdasaryan suggests that , not only Mirkadyrov, but some other politicians and civil society activists will be persecuted.
Agayev said accusations against Mirkadirov are ridiculous . "Probably the Armenian secret services feel happy because the authorities have arrested a journalist who for many years proved the groundlessness of Armenian claims to Nagorno-Karabakh," said Agayev. -06В-
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