Lawyers Seek Release of Gezal Bayramli and Afgan Mukhtarly

Baku / 19.08.17 / Turan: The lawyers of the Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party (PFPA) Gezal Bayramli and the journalist Afgan Mukhtarly filed appeals against the decisions of the court to extend their arrest for another 2 months.

Turan was informed about this by the lawyer of both accused Zibeyda Sadigova. According to her, complaints were filed against the decisions of the Nasimi District Court on August 17. The defense believes that the decisions of the court are unreasonable and are not supported by arguments, while the procedural legislation requires presentation of the reasonableness and necessity of keeping the defendants in custody.

The complaints indicate that, according to both national and international legislation, there are 4 grounds for extending the term of arrest: the possibility of hiding the accused from the investigation, the threat of obstructing the investigation, preventing the person from repeatedly committing a crime and the need to protect public order. The lawyer believes that in the isolation of Bayramli and Mukhtarly there is not any of these grounds.

The defense asks the court to revoke the decision to extend the term of the arrest and release both accused from custody.

* Bayramli was detained on her return from Georgia on May 25. She was accused of smuggling, in particular, an attempt to import undeclared 12 thousand US dollars. A criminal case on smuggling has been initiated against her. On the night of May 27, the court ruled on her arrest. Bayramly herself rejected the charges and called them politically motivated.

** Mukhtarly was abducted in Tbilisi on May 29 and transferred to Azerbaijan, where he was charged with illegal crossing of the border, smuggling, and using violence against a border guard. He rejected the accusations. Amnesty International recognized him as a "prisoner of conscience". --0B06-