At Trial on �Ganja Case�, Defendants and Lawyers Expressed Outrage at Judge�s Behavior

Baku / July 16, 1919 / Turan: At the trial in the case of the next group of defendants in the Ganja events of July 2018, a verbal exchange occurred between the judge and the lawyers.

Shahin Verdiyev"s lawyer, Zibeyda Sadigova, reported that she had joined the defendant"s defense a month ago.

According to Sadigova, the previous lawyer at the trial did not defend Verdiyev"s rights.

The accused himself said that he had confessed under torture.

The lawyer submitted to the court a statement by Verdiyev and 7 others accused of torture to the court.

In response, Judge Dadash Imanov sharply stated: "Who gave you the right to put (attach statements to the case) this here? I will remove you, and send the records submitted by you to the state authorities."

The judge threatened to complain to the Bar also another defender Aziz Gambarov. The reason for this was the petition of Gambarov about the illegality of the prosecution"s presentation of the defendants as persons acting "by prior agreement".

The actions of the judge aroused the indignation of the defendants and lawyers, who said that they had already rejected defense motions for several meetings.

The lawyer Shahla Gumbatova announced a collective challenge of the defense against the judge. She noted that the judge treats the participants of the trial excessively rudely, threatens the defendants and defenders with removal from the courtroom, and interrupts them.

The panel of judges including the judges Dadash Imanov, Mohammed Bagirov and Nural Aliyev, having conferred on the spot, dismissed the challenge.

After that, the lawyers challenged the entire court. They explained that Judge Imanov could not make decisions about challenging him - the question should have been considered according to the law by two other judges.

But the challenge to the entire composition of the court was also left without consideration.

* On July 3, 2018, in Ganja, an attempt was made on the then head of the city, Elmar Veliyev. A native of Ganja, Younis Safarov wounded him and his bodyguard.

After that, on social networks, a protest rally against Veliyev was scheduled for July 10 in front of the Ganja administration.

On July 10, the MIA reported on the unrest in Ganja, during which two police officers were killed. Following this, mass arrests among believers began. In total about 60 people were brought to criminal responsibility. Another 6 people were killed while providing armed resistance.

In early March, two groups of the accused (14 men) were already sentenced to various terms ranging from 5 to 8 years in prison on charges of participating in mass riots and violence against police officers. -05B06-