Term of arrest of 'Toplum TV' case defendants extended for another 3 months

The Khatai district court of Baku on Friday granted the investigation's request to extend the term of pre-trial detention of the accused journalists in the 'Toplum TV' case.

Thus, the arrest terms were extended for another three months - until 6 April: director of the Institute of Democratic Initiatives (IDI) end Speaker of the Platform of the Republic Akif Gurbanov; member of the IDI end Platform of the Republic  Ruslan Izzatli; activists Ilkin Amrakhov and Ramil Babayev; founder of 'Toplum TV' Alesker Mammadli and employees of this publication: Mushfig Jabbar and Ali Zeynalov.

The defence lawyers stated that the detention of the defendants in the case was unjustified, and they intend to file appeals against the court decisions.

*On 6-8 March nine journalists of 'Toplum TV' and its partner organisation Institute for Democratic Initiatives were detained. They were accused of smuggling foreign currency. Seven were arrested and two placed under police supervision. The defendants in the case deny the charges. Human rights activists recognised those arrested as political prisoners.