Appeals court leaves Aliyev in custody

Baku/26.01.23/Turan: On January 25 the Baku Court of Appeal (BAC) considered the complaint of the "Citizens and Development Party" (CDP) leader Aliyev against his imprisonment for 3.5 years.

It has to be reminded that on November 22 Sabunchi district court sentenced Aliyev to the specified term, finding him guilty under Article 127.2.3 of the Criminal Code (intentional causing harm to health from hooliganism). In particular, he was charged with beating a fellow inmate.

Aliyev denies the charges as claiming that a provocation was committed against him in order to prolong his imprisonment. "This is the fourth criminal case against me this year, and they are all fabricated to punish me because of my political activities," Aliyev said.

He refused to participate in the appeal hearing to thus distrust the impartiality of the court.

Lawyer Togrul Babayev said the appeal was rejected and the verdict was upheld. 

*It should be recalled that on January 13, 2022 the Yasamal district court sentenced Ali Aliyev to five months of imprisonment on libel charges.

Note that a private criminal complaint against him was filed by Lieutenant Colonel Emil Jafarov of the Border Guard Service. Another border guard officer, Ramin Adilov, filed a similar complaint against Aliyev. Aliyev received another month pf imprisonment on that complaint.

They are both survivors in the November 30 Mi-17 helicopter crash in the Khyzy region. The reason for the lawsuit was Aliyev's interview with Youtube channel on December 9, 2021 when Aliyev suggested that the helicopter may have crashed as a result of external influence, so the attack on the helicopter must be regarded as an attack on Azerbaijan's borders.

Aliyev did not rule out that Russia, which has long sought to secure Azerbaijan's border, could be behind the provocation.

Aliyev's sentence was later extended to 1 year of imprisonment at the suit of former "Yeni Azerbaijan" ruling Party functionary Ramiz Geyushev. 

Note that a fourth criminal case was launched against Aliyev in August.-06B-