Zyakya Miragayev
The trial on the case of activist Zyakya Miragayev has been over at the Baku Serious Crimes Court presided over by Judge Kyamran Mukhtarov. The prosecutor proposed to find the activist guilty under Article 234.4.3 (drug trafficking on a large scale) of the Criminal Code and sentence him to 7.5 years of imprisonment, the activist's lawyer Elchin Sadigov said.
The activist denied the charges. The defence also pointed to the lack of evidence of Miragayev's guilt and asked the court to acquit him. Miragayev asked for time to prepare for his closing statement. The court scheduled the next hearing for 4 November.
It is worth recalling that Miragaev was detained on 11 October 2023 on charges of drug trafficking on a large scale. Sabail district court arrested him for 4 months and since then the arrest terms have been extended.
Miragaev pleaded not guilty. He said in court that he was taken from his home and the drugs were put in his pocket by police officers.
Miragaev's relatives link the activist's arrest to his open letter, in which he criticised the leadership of the Interior Ministry. The Interior Ministry called these allegations as ‘unfounded and personal judgements’.
Politics
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Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who arrived in Baku today, held a press conference at the COP29 climate conference. When asked about the arrested climate activists and opposition figures in Azerbaijan, she stated that Germany advocates for the release of government critics and that she would raise this issue during her meeting with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister. She specifically mentioned the name of Professor Gubad Ibadoglu, a doctor from Dresden University.
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On November 21, climate activists held a series of protests at the COP29 climate conference in Baku. The main themes of the protests included nuclear weapons testing, animal killings, protection of rivers and water bodies, and environmental pollution.
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The General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) adopted a resolution on Friday reaffirming its commitment to democratic reforms, regional stability, and European integration amidst escalating geopolitical tensions driven by Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
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Activist Nijat Ibrahim, who was detained in Baku pre-trial detention center-1, inflicted numerous wounds on himself on November 20 in protest against unjustified criminal prosecution, his wife Parvin Ibrahim told Turan. According to her, on November 21, her husband called her and informed her that the day before he had inflicted incised wounds on himself with a piece of mirror. In particular, he cut his throat and ears.
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