Judge Does Not Investigate Complaints of Journalist and Wants to Punish Lawyer

Baku Sabail District Court upheld the consideration of a complaint against the illegal detention of the journalist Aytaj Ahmedova by employees of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (MDCOC) MIA.

The journalist was detained on September 16 last year and kept in MDCOC for five hours. She was interrogated under pressure on the activities of the opposition Internet resource Meydan TV.

The MDCOC actions were appealed at the prosecutor's office last year. However, First Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam Usubov refused to open a criminal investigation into the illegal detention of the journalist. In early June of this year the defense filed an appeal to the Sabail District Court in the judicial supervision order against the decision of the General Prosecutor. According to the criminal procedure law, the complaint had to be considered within 10 days, said the lawyer representing the interests of Ahmedova, Zibeyda Sadigova.

However, the consideration was delayed. Finally, on September 5 Judge Elmar Rahimov left the complaint without consideration.

According to the lawyer, this decision is illegal, for, according to the Criminal Procedure Code, the judge had to admit the acts complained of either legal or illegal; any third version is excluded by the legislation.

Moreover, the judge decided to file a complaint to the Bar about Sadigova.

The judge demanded Sadigova should present a warrant of attorney to protect Ahmedova. The lawyer considers this requirement illegal under the law, for a warrant of attorney is required when the client is recognized as a victim.

Sadigova said the court's decision on leaving the complaint not considered would be appealed by the defense. -06B--