A new process on Guba events

Hearings in the criminal case of nine accused in the riots in Guba region on  March 1, 2012, began today in the  Guba regional court. The accused are: Tapdig Garibov, Sahavet Faizi, Khayyam Yunusov, Niyamaddin Aleskerov, Rashad Ilyasov, Elgun Maharramov, Bahruz Garibov, Alekper Najafi, and Rafiq Murshudov.

Khayyam Yunusov and Alekper Najafi  are in custody, the rests gave a subscription on not leaving away.

All  they are charged with Articles of the Criminal Code: 186.2.1 ((destruction or damage to property of others in the large size), 186.2.2 (destruction of another's property by arson, which led to grave consequences), 233 (organization of disorderly conduct or participate in), and 315.2 (use of violence dangerous to life and health of a government official.)

According to regional representative of the ANC Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (HCA ANC), Avtandil Mammadli, Yunusov pleaded guilty only under Article 233. He noted that he participated in the protest because of offensive words  by the chief executive of the region, Rauf Khabibov to the local residents.

Other defendants denied the charges. Some of them said they were in  Khabibov’s villa, but did not take part in the arson.

Testimonies of  16 injured policemen were listened to, who claimed that rioters threw stones, and all stones  got  their left foot. The hearing will continue on September 13.

This is second trial of the events in  Guba  region, where thousands of people indignant with insult by the chief executive, demanded his resignation. The action turned into a riot , in which  the house of  Khabibov and part of the  administration houses were burned.—06B-