Human Rights Activists Condemn Pressure on Participants of Nardaran Case

Political Prisoners Monitoring Center issued a statement which refers to the gross violation of the rights of the accused of the Nardaran case and their lawyers.

In particular, during one of the sessions, the witness, an employee of Sabunchu District Police Office Samir Hashimov was rude to the lawyer Nemat Karimov.

In this case, the judge Alovsat Abbasov did not react to it, but on the contrary, blamed the lawyer.

The Center sees this as a violation of the law on the legal profession, namely, Article 15, which guarantees the independence and security of defenders.

“Judge Alovsat Abbasov openly supports the prosecutor, does not accept the request of lawyers and violates the principle of impartiality,” said the head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners Elshan Hasanov.

“We demand a fair trial on the basis of law, guaranteeing an independent activity of lawyers, and stopping pressure on the witnesses,” the document says.

* In the course of a special operation in Nardaran on November 26, 2015 six people were killed by the shooting, including two policemen. Total on the case charges were brought against 80 people, mostly members and supporters of the movement Muslim Unity. They are accused on a number of articles of the Criminal Code: attempt to forcibly change the constitutional system, the creation of an organized armed criminal group and others.

Currently, the Serious Crimes Court in Baku holds the trial of 18 accused on the case. Among them is the deputy chairman of PFPA Fuad Gahramanli, who is accused of anti-state calls, inciting religious hatred, and calling for riots. In fact, Gahramanli wrote on his Facebook page an appeal to the Nardaran residents, urging them to defend their rights. -06B--