Former investigator is released under house arrest

Baku Binagadi District Court today granted the request of Rufat Safarov, the former investigator of Zardab Regional  Prosecutor Office to change him a measure of restraint, and transfer to house arrest. The petition was granted, told  his lawyer Bahruz Bayramov. The lawyer expressed satisfaction with the court's decision, saying that the defence withdraws appeal against the arrest warrant.

However, the lawyer stressed that Safarov rejects the charges against him under Article 311.3.2 (repeated bribery.) Safarov is the son of Eldar Sabiroglu,  a former member of parliament and one of the founders of the ruling party "Yeni Azerbaijan", who last year publicly criticized the  head  of the presidential administration Ramiz Mehdiyev. In December, Safarov  publicly criticized  in the press the authorities for violations of the law and the poor  activity of the  law enforcement agencies. After that Safarov  stated about the resignation  from the Prosecutor’s Office. In turn, Prosecutor’s Office  satted that Safarov was dismissed  "for improper conduct." On December 21, Safarov's apartment was searched,  his  phone and computer were seized. In protest Safarov  went on a hunger strike.

On January 15 Chief of Department to Combat Corruption under Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev filed a lawsuit against  Safarov  on charges of taking bribes. On Friday, Safarov was arrested and taken to the Binagadi District Court, where  he was sanctioned  for three  months and 26  days of arrest. -05B06--