At the trial in the case of E.Mammadov victims and witnesses confuse testimonies

  Trial in the case of Emil Mammadov, the  head of the NGO "Promotion of Democracy" from  the Salyan continued today in the Lankaran Court of Grave Crimes.

Mammadov was detained on 13 May, and was arrested on charges of extortion (Article 182.2.2). The arrest was based on the  testimonies of Tofig Gasimov, employee  of Mammadov from  NGOs.

According to the lawyer  Fariz Namazly, at today's  trial gave testimony six victims and 11 witnesses.

According to him, only two victims - Head of Financial Department and the postal worker confirmed that Mammadov extorted money from them.

The other four victims were told that  Gasimov  extorted money from them, and  presented himself as a  journalists.

    Gasimov himself claimed that he acted at the instructions of Mamedov, although at the first meeting of the court said that he  defamed the head of NGO  under pressure.

Only one of  nine witnesses said that he was an eyewitness  of  Mammadov’s talk with the  Head of Finance Department  of the region,  Mahir Kerimov, and  activist  allegedly  extorted bribes from official.

Another witness said that the head of the district administration of telecommunications Faiq Najafzade instructed him to talk to Mammadov, that he did not extort money from him.

Other witnesses did not testify against Mammadov. The following trial is scheduled for September 9th.

Local human rights activists recognized Mamedov political prisoners. -06B-