PFPA Activist Court Hearing

Baku / 17.06.20 / Turan: On June 17, the Narimanov District Court chaired by Vusal Gurbanov held a regular meeting on the case of the activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Pasha Umudov.

At the trial, witnesses were heard.

A witness involved in the investigation, Bayram Heydarov, said that Umudov worked as a foreman in his sister’s apartment and allegedly several times gave the opposition money to buy drugs.

“Once we smoked together. Another time I asked him to buy drugs for me, and I left them with me,” the lawyer said.

Zibeyda Sadigova, the lawyer filed a motion in connection with the witness. She pointed out the personal enmity between Heydarov and Umudov and asked to exclude the first from the list of witnesses. Heydarov and Umudov confirmed the words of the lawyer. However, the court did not grant the defense.

Witness Mais Mammadov testified that he and Umudov worked as craftsmen for 7-8 years and allegedly smoked drugs a couple of times.

The witness also said that Umudov did not sell drugs to him.

Witness Samir Guliyev said that he met Umudov during an administrative arrest in 2018 and allegedly later they met several times and smoked drugs together.

However, Umudov drew attention to the fact that Guliyev was serving an administrative arrest together after an opposition rally on January 19, 2019.

“His claims that we smoked drugs are absurd. He lives in the village of Gobu, and claims to have smoked drugs in Gunashli. Who will go this way to smoke drugs,” said Umudov.

He also pointed out the false testimony of other witnesses.

Due to the absence of the remaining witnesses, the hearing was adjourned until 29 June.

Umudov was arrested on October 16, three days before the rally of the National Council of Democratic Forces. He was charged under Art. 234.2 (illegal acquisition and possession of drugs for the purpose of sales) of the Criminal Code.

If found guilty, he faces imprisonment of up to 7 years.

Human rights activists recognized Umudov as a political prisoner. — 021C06