Trial in Lankaran in the case of "Musavat" activist

Trial in the case of   Yadigar Sadigov, accused of hooliganism, finished on    December 4 Lankaran  regional court. He was arrested on June 27 on a complaint of a resident, Rashid Kerimov, who claimed that on June 25 Sadigov beat him.

A lawsuit was filed under the Article 221.3 (hooliganism with use of weapon.)  The activist faces a prison sentence of up to seven years in prison.

According to lawyer Khalid Bagirov, on Wednesday testimonies of defense witnesses were listened. Local activist Shahin Agayev confirmed that Sadigov did not beat Kerimov, although the latter provoked  the opposition member  and insulted them .

Another witness - an employee of the teahouse, where the incident occurred, also did not confirmed that Kerimov was beaten. After that, the lawyer claimed fraud criminal case.

It is noteworthy  that all seven witnesses  of the prosecution  were not residents of Lankaran, aznd they were  not in the place of incident. However, the court rejected the defense motion on the request from the mobile operators about the location of these individuals during the incident.

The Court also refused to call the doctors who gave the conclusion that Kerimov after the incident has dizziness and insomnia, although he said at the trial that it was a result of contusion, transferred in the Karabakh war.  The prosecutor asked for time to prepare his closing speech, and the judge scheduled the next hearing on December 12.

Local and international human rights organizations recognize Sadigov as political prisoners. The real reason for his arrest is the visit of the leader  of "Musavat" Isa Gambar to Lankaran , which the authorities  prevented   with  the help of provocateurs.—06B--