Trial of Hilal Mamedov Postponed to July 17

Today at the trial of the editor of the newspaper Tolyshi Sado (Voice of the Talysh) Hilal Mamedov in Baku Court of Grave Crimes, witnesses were to speak. However, one of them - Aziz Agakishiyev died on December 3, 2012, while the second witness, Ulfat Abbasov is in Moscow.

In this regard, Judge Azer Orujov scheduled the next hearing on July 17 and would like to adjourn the meeting. However, the lawyers of Mamedov petitioned the court to invite the police investigator of the Nizami district Jeyhun Kerimov who authorized the arrest of the accused in a rented apartment.

The defense believes that the investigator violated the law because the sanction was to be given by the judge. Questions have arisen also to the investigator in connection with the involvement of the same witnesses on Mamedov when searched at the police headquarters, and in the flat.

Furthermore, the defense believes that there was no reason for the search of the apartment. In this case, the investigator, in his decision referred to the possible contents of a computer's memory information about the buyers of drugs at Mamedov. However, in the course of the examination, he "forgot" about it and checked the computer for other purposes. The state prosecutor opposed the motion, and the judges dismissed it.

* Hilal Mamedov was arrested on 21 June 2012 and charged with illegal possession of narcotics, treason and inciting ethnic hatred. However, local and international organizations believe that Mamedov is persecuted for political reasons. -16C06-