Mehman Huseynov tells the court about torture in the police

Baku / 16.11.17 / Turan: The trial in the case of blogger Mehman Huseynov continued on Thursday at the Baku Court of Appeal (BCA). On 29 September the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan partially satisfied the appeal of Huseynov, returning his complaint to the Court of Appeal.

The reason for his arrest was his allegations of torture in the police in January this year. In response, the head of the Nasimi district police department of Baku Musa Musayev filed a libel suit. The Surakhani District Court on May 3 sentenced Huseynov to two years in prison, finding him guilty of libel (art. 147 CC).

Today, Mehman Huseynov delivered testimony, rejecting accusations of libel. On the contrary, according to Huseynov, he himself was slandered.

The blogger stated that he was captured on January 9 in the center of Baku and for 40-50 minutes he was taken around the city. Then he was beaten and degrading treatment in the Nasimi police, after which he was called an ambulance.

According to the blogger, the process of his actual kidnapping, was bound to get to the security cameras "safe city". In addition, the physical pressure on him was recorded on the Nasimi police cells.

Huseynov noted that the provocation against him was committed after he was elected chairman of the Institute of Freedom and Safety of reporters and filmed reports on luxury villas of a number of high-ranking officials and deputies. His blog Sancaq collected about 1 million users.

On December 26, when he left the barbershop, an unknown man pushed him into the shoulder trying to drag him into a fight. Then Huseynov managed to escape. He appealed to the police, but this man was not installed.

However, the representative of the prosecutor Alirza Abilov stated that the arrest of Huseynov is not connected with his blogging activities. He said that Huseynov's blog continues to function and became even better, which caused laughter in the hall. Huseynov defiantly ignored Abilov, solving a crossword in a glass cage.

Lawyer Fuad Agayev said that it is necessary to watch video surveillance cameras from the Nasimi police. He noted that if there was no torture, then why does not the police present a record from the cameras.

The judge declared a break until 15:30 on November 17 to express his attitude to the petitions of the defense about the summons to the court of the plaintiff - the head of the Nasimi police Moussa Musaev and the request for records from the cameras. -06D-