At the trial in the case of the Facebook activist, Omar Mamedov

On April 30 a preliminary hearing in the case of activist of Facebook, a  19-year-old Omar Mamedov, accused of drug trafficking, took place in the Baku Serious  Crimes Court chaired by Eldar Mikailov.

At the trial a lawyer Khalid Bagirov noted that the term of Mamedov’s arrest  expired on 24 April, and there was not a new judgment on detention. He pointed out the discrepancy of the European Convention on Human Rights Code of Criminal Procedure Code of Azerbaijan that after the case was received by court there is no need on the extension the term arrest. Lawyer petitioned for release of Mamedov  from custody .

Further the lawyer requested to exclude from the list of evidence a protocol on  personal inspection of Mamedov, and confiscation of drugs. He noted that the event was held without trial. On the other hand, investigators have no authority to carry out personal inspection. This can only be done by investigators.

Bagirov also petitioned to exclude from the list of evidence a protocol chemical examination  of six gram of heroin, which allegedly belonged to Mamedov. The lawyer motivated it by  not presenting the decision of the examination to Mamedov, and he was not given the legal right to alternative examination.

Bagirov put forward another motion to summon as a witness Mamedov’s  father. He justified this by saying that the defendant state that his father was subjected to pressure because  of civil activity  of Mamedov. Bagirov also asked for videos from surveillance cameras on the streets of Tabriz  from 11:00 to 13:00 on January 24 , when Mammadov was arrested.

Bagirov also requested to conduct fingerprint analysis to  establish fingerprints on a bag with drugs.

Another lawyer Alaif Hasanov requested permission for shooting the trial in the case of journalists. He also asked to released Mamedov or put him  under house arrest.

Prosecutor  Erkin Gafarov opposed all applications.

After the meeting the judges decided to reject all applications, and the  application for requesting data from surveillance camera remained unconsidered. Consideration of the case is scheduled for May 13. The trial in the case of  Mamedov caused a great public interest. The hall was filled with youth activists, mainly from NIDA Movement.

Approximately one  hundred people were on the street because of the limited number of seats.

Omar Mamedov is the leader of the youth movement "Akhyn" ("Flow",) and member of the "Civil Solidarity" party.  After his arrest, he returned  to NIDA Movement.

Mamedov was active in social networks on the Internet,  in particular, he  was one of the administrators of the page "Lists from AzTV" in Facebook ((https://www.facebook.com/pazaztv?fref=ts), where were placed  cartoons , collages, comments ridiculing vices  by authorities. –06B--