Hearings of Witnesses in Trial of Elina Hajiyeva's Death (UPDATED)

Baku / 09/18/19 / Turan: On the afternoon of September 18, only journalists were allowed to trial on the death of Elina Hajiyeva. Representatives of the public were not allowed into the hall.

The head of the juvenile affairs department of the Sabail district police department, Asad Umumbayev, was heard as witness. He said that on April 4, learning about the accident at school number 162, he went there.

"When I arrived there, the girl was lying on the sofa in the principal"s office. They told me that she had drunk some medicine. There was a school nurse. Then came Khalida Bayramova (head of the Board of Trusteeship and deputy head of Sabail Executive). When I found out that the girl was receiving first aid not from a doctor, but from a nurse, I said they should call an ambulance. Khalida Bayramova said she would call them because the head doctor was her friend and so it would be faster," the police employee said.

Umumbayev added that when he asked about the ambulance, the principal of the school, Sevinj Abbasova, said "there is a doctor in the school."

Another witness, the district juvenile inspector of the 8th branch of the Sabail police, Parvan Safarova, reported that when she arrived at the school in connection with information about the accident, the girl was lying on the sofa in the principal"s office and there was a doctor nearby.

"But when I asked, they answered that it was a nurse. She examined the girl and did not reveal any serious injuries. However, her blood pressure dropped to 70/50. When we wanted to call an ambulance, Khalida Bayramova said she had already called them. And the school principal said the school doctor had already examined the girl and there was no need for other doctors.

I called Elina's parents. The school principal informed me that Elina took the medicine ketotifen," said Inspector Safarova.

According to her, the school regularly had problems and there were many complaints from the parents and the principal. "In December, Elina's mother came, who wrote that a 17-year-old schoolboy threatened her daughter and blackmailed her. I invited the 17-year-old student and his mother. However, the next morning, Elina"s mother took the statement back," Safarova said.

Elina's aunt Arzu Aliyeva reported that her daughter was in the same school. According to A. Aliyeva, the girls once went to complain to the deputy principal Lala Arifovna, but she told them that she would not create problems with Grade 11 because of Elina.

The daughter of A. Aliyeva, Elina's cousin, said that after they and Elina were transferred to school number 162, the local children began to torment them. According to her, classmates, as well as students of Grades 9, 10 and 11, mocked Elina. Boys from other schools also came to their school. One of them even tried to behave obscenely towards Elina. According to the girl, despite their complaints, no one reacted to this.

Another cousin of Elina also spoke about the oppression of her by other students. She confirmed that the complaints to the principal and deputy principal were inconclusive.

The trial will continue on September 19. -21C--

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2019 September 18 (Wednesday) 15:47:39

The deputy head of the Sabail district testified at the trial on the death of a schoolchild

Baku/18.09.19/Turan: On Wednesday, substantive hearings began at the Sabail District Court of Baku under the chairmanship of Azer Tagiyev at the trial of the former headmaster of school number 162 Sevinj Abbasova.

She was involved in connection with the suicide of an 8th grade student Elina Hajiyeva. She was charged under Article 143 (leaving in danger) and 314.2 (negligence resulting in the death of the victim) of the Criminal Code. However, under Article 125 (suicide), no one is held accountable. Abbasova is under house arrest.

At the beginning of the meeting, the lawyers of the injured party requested that journalists be allowed into the courtroom in connection with the increased public interest in this case. However, the judge rejected the motion, citing the overcrowding of the hall.

Further, the prosecutor Asadullah Ramazanov announced the indictment. Defendant Abbasova pleaded not guilty. The mother of the late Sevil Huseynova, who spoke after this, stated that her daughter had problems immediately after moving to this school: her classmates began to oppress and poison her.

"I came to school 3-4 times, and told the director Sevinj Abbasova about this. She promised to take measures, but she didn"t take any effective measures, and the pressure on my daughter continued," Huseynova said.

Moreover, once again, when she came to the principal, Sevinj Abbasova nervously said, "Don't come to my school anymore."

According to Huseynova, some schoolchildren spread rumors about Elina and her friend that they were supposedly lesbians.

"Once I noticed a scratch on Elina"s neck. She told me that a friend did it when they joked. Then a friend told me that Elina wanted to cut her throat with a blade. Another time, a schoolgirl poured cold water on Elina"s head," Huseynova said.

According to her, Elina was subjected to pressure from several schoolchildren, their friends and relatives.

On April 4, at about 11 a.m., mothers called from school and reported that Elina had fallen out of the window.

"I was told that Elina fell out of the window, taking minor injuries. That day, they did not let me go to her hospital. Only on April 6, they let me in after I made a fuss. But Elina was dead," Huseynova said.

Khalida Bayramova, deputy head of the Sabail district executive authority, former chairman of the district trusteeship commission, noted in her testimony that she was on good terms with the school principal Abbasova.

"On April 4, Abbasova called me and reported the incident. I told her about the need to immediately inform the police and call an ambulance and I went to school myself. When I arrived there, Elina was in the room.

I was told that she fell from the second floor. However, then the video frames showed that she did not fall, but rushed. I called, called an ambulance and the girl was taken to the hospital. When Elina spoke to me, she said that she had drunk 30 tablets, because she no longer wants to live. We wanted to send her for a toxicological examination, but because of the pain, we could not do it. Doctors at the hospital said the injuries were not severe, but the lung was damaged," Bayramova said.

The deceased grandmother Solmaz Askerova said she blames the school for the death of her granddaughter. Elina's stepfather Seymur Huseynov and the girl"s father Adalet Hajiyev said that the doctors told them in the hospital that the injuries were not serious and on April 6, she would be transferred to the ward.

The trial continues.

During the break, the accused Abbasova told reporters that she partially pleads guilty, since the incident occurred in her school. She said that she did everything to save the girl, went with her to the hospital, and was with her nearby.

* On April 4, 2019 student of the school number 162, born 2004 Elina Hajiyeva, jumped from the third floor of the school. A lawsuit was filed on the fact under Article 125 (bringing to suicide) of the Criminal Code.

Subsequently, the director of the school Abbasova was brought to justice in the case. She was charged under the Articles 143 (leaving in danger) and 314.2 (negligence resulting in the death of the victim) of the Criminal Code. However, under section 125 (suicide), no one is held accountable. -21C-