Judge to Send Complaints of Believers about Torture to Prosecutor Office

In the Baku Court of Grave Crimes at the trial on the "Nardaran-2 case" the testimony of the accused was continued. Defendants in the case are the Deputy Chairman of the movement Muslim Unity Elchin Gasimov and 11 other believers.

Recall that Elchin Gasimov was arrested in November 2015. Later, he was accused of trying to seize power, terrorism, etc. Ten others were arrested on similar charges: Agha Yahyayev, Mahir Gahramanov, Seyfaddin Shirinov, Ramil Aliyev, Farhad Muradov, Elgun Akhundov, Vusal Alish, Seymour Aslanov, Ali Shakhbazov, Amirali Aliyev and Isa Ibrahimov.

At the first meeting on 17 February a testimony was made by the accused Seyfaddin Shirinov, head of the Muslim Unity Movement's propaganda department. He said he is a childhood friend of the Chairman of the Muslim Unity, Taleh Bagirzadeh.

On December 8, 2015 he was summoned to the 13th police station allegedly "in connection with a problem with his car." When he said he had no car, they still strongly invited him "to find out the circumstances."

From the 13th police station Shirinov was taken to the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) MIA. He was offered to sign confessions of the alleged finding of weapons in his apartment. Otherwise Shirinov was threatened with arrest of his wife on the same charge.

A few months later, he learned they had searched the house, but nothing was found.

Another accused Ramil Aliyev said he was beaten in GDCOC until he lost consciousness, required to give evidence that Taleh Bagirzadeh was a "terrorist".

According to him, the police explained the use of torture with "orders from above".

"Such behavior discredits the President and the Ministers," Aliyev said.

Elchin Gasimov filed a complaint of torture. According to him, November 5, 2015 in Sabunchu Police Department about 70 detainees were forced to lie down on the floor, and their bodies were trampled.

The judge Mayil Bayramov decided to send the complaints to the Prosecutor General for investigation.

The next meeting will be held on February 24.   -36C--