Journalist Idrak Abbasov gives testimonies at the trial on Ismayilli events (UPDATED)

Trial in the case of riots in Ismailly in January 2013 continued in Sheki  Serious Crimes Court. At the beginning of the trial defense lawyers asked the court to invite new witnesses from the local community. However, the court rejected it , as well as an information request on  telephone conversations of the accused during the riots. Despite the objection of the prosecutor, the judge agreed to listen to the  witness journalist Idrak Abbasov, who was filming the events for "Objective TV."

Abbasov said that he arrived to Ismailly about 4:00 o'clock in the morning on January 24, and remained there until January 25. According to him, he witnessed the protests on January 24 in the morning and in the evening  at around 11:00 and after 20:00.

According to Abbasov, during their stay in Ismailly,  the head of the REAL Movement, Ilgar Mamedov, and deputy chairman of the "Musavat", Tofig Yagublu, ( from 16:00 to 17:00 ) in the city was calm. Abbasov recorded on video how Yagublu  and Mamedov stood among journalists.

On video it is clearly seen that  there were no protests  or any crowds.  This refutes the version  of investigators that  during the stay  of Yagublu  and Mamedov  there were not riots in the city.

Then  the defense insisted  to watch the video  of all records made  on "Objective TV" in Ismailly that  media did not possess. On these  video  it can be seen during the stay of Mamedov  and Yagublu in  Ismailly region, the  city was calm.

* On January 23, 2013  the employees of  "Chirag" region were drunk , caused incident and   insulted locals. In response, an angry  people burned down the hotel "Chirag". On  January 24  there were clashes between the police forces and the locals demanding the resignation of the  region’s leadership.   Eighteen people were brought to  trial,  including the leader of the "REAL"  Movement Ilgar Mamedov and deputy chairman of the "Musavat", Tofig Yagublu.

At the trial on Ismayilli events in the afternoon the session was closed with regard to the contributions from the security services. At the end of the day the meeting continued in the open regime 

The judge announced the completion of the investigation and gave time for the state prosecutor to prepare speech until 24 February.—06C00-