Azad Hasanov: a police officer planted drugs on me

Baku / 09.04.19 / Turan: On 9 April, the Baku Serious Crimes Court continued a trial in the case of Musavat party activist, Azad Hasanov.

He was detained in October 2018 immediately after returning from Lithuania, where he had been living in political emigration for 4 years, and was charged under the Article 234.4.3 (drug trafficking on a large scale).

At the beginning of the trial it became known that Hasanov was appointed a lawyer at the state expense. Hasanov himself said that he did not need a lawyer and refused his services.

Then, at the request of the defense, Elvin Kyazimov, an employee of the Baku Main Police Department, was again interrogated.

Lawyer Osman Kyazimov asked him, by whom and when was the operative information provided that Hasanov was involved in drug trafficking? The policeman refused to answer, citing the need to keep the source of information secret. Then the lawyer asked to hold a closed trial, and keep the source of information secret. However, the prosecutor opposed and the court rejected the petition. Hasanov protested, pointing out that it was Elvin Kyazimov who put the drugs in his pocket.

Another police officer, Naib Omarov, answering a lawyer's question, said that he was not the leader of the task force and did not know where information about Hasanov was from.

The next court trial will be held on April 23 at 11.00.

Human Rights Defenders recognized Hasanov as a political prisoner. -21С-