At Trial of Opposition Member

Baku / 18.03.19 / Turan: On March 18, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes chaired by Irada Hasanzadeh continued the meeting on the case of the Musavat activist Azad Hasanov.

He was detained in October 2018 immediately after returning from Lithuania, where he was in political emigration for 4 years. He was charged under Art. 234.4.3 (Drug trafficking on a large scale).

At today's meeting, the testimony of Metropolitan Police Officer Omar Naibov was heard. He said that Hasanov was detained on the basis of operational information. However, when lawyer Osman Kyazimov asked to clarify when the information specifically arrived, the police officer could not name the exact time. He further admitted that the police "had invited a lawyer in advance," but could not clearly explain why.

When asked why the inspection of Hasanov was not conducted at the place of detention, the police officer said that "the operational situation did not allow that."

To the lawyer"s question how legitimate it was to write of a drug in the protocol on detection prior to the examination, the witness admitted that it was wrong, but said Hasanov "confessed that he had drugs". However, the accused rejected this, saying that after his arrest he was asked about political activities. He was asked about this during the interrogation in the metropolitan police. Hasanov said the drugs were planted on him. The trial will continue on April 2nd. Human rights activists recognize Hasanov as a political prisoner. -21С-