Term of arrest of Anar Mammadli extended for another 3 months.

On 20 November, the Khatai district court of Baku satisfied the investigation's submission to extend the term of pre-trial detention of human rights defender Anar Mammadli for another three months, his lawyer Elchin Sadigov said.

At the same time, at another session in Khatai court, the defence motion to transfer Mammadli to house arrest was rejected.

The defence lawyer called both decisions ‘political.’

The defence believes that the case against Mammadli is revenge for his human rights activity.

‘There is no evidence that Anar Mammadli committed any crime. They are trying to fabricate false evidence. We disagree with both judgements and will appeal,’ the lawyer said.

He also noted that Mammadli's health problems have worsened.

‘Anar is not being examined and he has no treatment. We were told that he was allegedly examined but he himself denied the allegations.

We appealed to the court about this, but our petition was not granted, and we will also appeal against this decision,’ Sadygov said.

Norwegian human rights activists and representatives of a number of Western embassies tried to attend today's trials, but they were not allowed in.

*Anar Mammadli was detained on 29 April and charged on 30 April under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code (smuggling - committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).

A number of international organisations as well as the US State Department have called on the Azerbaijani government to immediately release Mammadli and others arrested.

Recall that Anar Mammadli is the head of an election law NGO and author of critical election reports.