Nazim Beidamirli is kept in a cell with 13-14 people, he is not allowed to meet with his family

Baku/23.08.23/Turan: Former deputy of the Milli Majlis Nazim Beidamirli, who is being held in the Baku pre-trial detention center No. 1, despite the court decision, still cannot meet with his family members.

His wife, Farida Beidamirli, said that the court's decision has not yet been presented to the family and it has not appeared in the electronic system of the Penitentiary Service.

"Nazim is not satisfied with the conditions of detention. There are 13-14 people in the cell with him," the spouse said.

The Penitentiary Service has not yet responded to a request about the conditions of Nazim Beidamirli's detention and the reasons for the delay in his meetings with his family.

On August 23, Nazim Beidamirli's father-in-law, head of the Department of Baku State University, Professor Rufat Rustamov addressed an open letter to President Ilham Aliyev.

He notes that Nazim Beidamirli believes that he is being persecuted for expressing his civic position. "You yourself have repeatedly called on citizens to express their opinions on important issues," the professor writes.

In this case, the talk is about environmental violations at a gold mine in the village of Soyudlu, Gedabey region. Rufat Rustmom asks the head of state to take Beidamirli's case under his personal control.

Meanwhile, Rufat Safarov, executive director of the human rights organization "Line of Defense," said that there is no doubt that the accusation against Nazim Beidamirli "has a political basis."

"It's no secret that the former deputy raised environmental problems in the village of Soyudlu in social networks and the media, criticized illegal actions or inaction of the relevant state bodies. He was one of the intellectuals who first raised their voice when protesters and villagers were attacked by police and local authorities.

It was these officials who convinced the head of state that Baydamirli was the organizer of the protests of local residents.

On July 5, the Narimanov District Court, chaired by Judge Vusal Gurbanov,  passed  for Nazim Beidamirli a preventive measure for a period of 4 months. He was charged under Article 182.2.4 of the Criminal Code (extortion by threats).

According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Beidamirli was detained at the request of a citizen who claimed that Nazim Beidamirli demanded 50,000 manats from him.

In case of refusal to pay, Baydamirli allegedly threatened to publish pictures discrediting him. ---03B----