Adil Ismayilov wants to punish for criticism of the Bar Association

Baku/14.03.19/Turan: The Bar Association has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the well-known lawyer Adil Ismayilov. This happened after Ismayilov criticized the Board and demanded from its leadership answers to a number of questions, including those related to the financial activities of the structure. On March 7 Ismayilov posted on his Facebook page questions to the chairman of the presidium of the Bar Association Anar Bagirov. https://www.facebook.com/adil.ismaylov/posts/10212395472953723

In particular, Ismayilov asks: how much money and from what sources did the Bar receive over the past 5 years? How much money is now in the Board? How many funds were received by the College after the resignation of its former chairman, Azer Tagiyev in the fall of 2017? Who is the owner of the new office leased by the Board at the J. Hajibeyli St.100? What is the cost of renting a building? How much money was allocated to the collegium by the state after the decree of the President of Azerbaijan (about supporting the legal profession) and what were they spent on? How much money and to what law firms was allocated?

Bagirov, in turn, called the "lies and slander" messages "distributed on social networks." https://www.facebook.com/anar.baghirov/posts/2020199494774087

According to him, the questions of attorneys on the Presidium of the College are answered immediately. "Turning the theme into a show on social networks is the goal and desire of the slanderers," Bagirov writes.

According to him, "the goal of these people" is to cast a shadow on the work of the leadership of the collegium, "tarnish the presidium," "present themselves as" fighters ", and" create a conflict in the legal profession. " Bagirov notes that "slanderers will answer before the law."

In an interview with the Azerbaijani service of Voice of America, Bagirov said that the disciplinary proceedings against Ismayilov were initiated in connection with the "spread of insults, fabrications and lies," "accusations of crime", "insults to lawyers."

According to Bagirov, the disciplinary proceedings have been initiated in connection with the "complaints of lawyers."

Bagirov refrained from commenting on the questions addressed to him by Ismayilov via social networks, citing the fact that "there is already a statement by the presidium of the Bar Association and everything is written there in detail." According to Bagirov, Ismailov had to address questions to the presidium on social networks before speaking. In order to justify his position, Bagirov gives the following argument: "Will the correspondent of Voice of America ask the editor-in-chief about wasting the organization"s budget," to demand a report from him? " Bagirov said he would not accept what Ismayilov has written.

"This is slander. It was Adil Ismailov who put forward and he must prove it," Bagirov said.

In turn, Ismayilov told the Azerbaijani service of Voice of America that he had not received answers to questions addressed to the leadership of the Board, although in addition to posting them on facebook he also sent a formal message.

Ismayilov said that he is a member and co-founder of the Board, and therefore has the right to know where the membership fees, insurance and other payments are spent.

In addition, on February 23, 2018, a presidential decree on the legal profession was signed, which provided for measures to increase the material and technical base of the legal profession.

"Funds were allocated for these purposes. It was reported that AZN 1 million was allocated for the repair of buildings where lawyers are located, for the purchase of appropriate equipment, etc. I wanted to know where this money was spent?" Ismayilov said.

He noted that if he did not receive answers to the questions raised, he would go to court.

"I"ll go to the end. I"ve always started the case to the end," Ismailov said.

He said that he does not have any personal bias.

"I"m not leading anybody with the principles. I just want the legal profession to take a decent place in society," said lawyer Ismailov.

When asked about the impact of advocacy reforms on the human rights situation, Ismailov replied that "all the" development "consists in moving the College from the old building to the renovated one."

"Another" development "is manifested in the replacement of the two-page certificates of attorneys of the old Soviet type with single-page cards. That is, the changes are cosmetic in nature. For example, lawyers are obliged to wear robes to court sessions.

On New Year's Eve at our expense staged a "corporate". Now they are raising money for the celebration of Novruz holiday. Previously, lawyers paid membership fees in the amount of 52 manat, now they have been raised to 72 manat. After I began to oppose this, membership fees were not lowered much, now they are defined at 60 AZN. Then they invented fees for the brand. For each case, the lawyer must pay 10 manat per mark. Imagine we have 1,500 lawyers. If each of them, although a month goes to three cases, it will have to pay 30 manat, which is 45,000 a month. manat There are no real reforms," said Ismailov. -03C06-