Ministry of National Security (MNS) makes NIDA activist to give testimonies (UPDATED)

At the trial of activists  of NIDA Movement  on  March 28 the  accused Bakhtiyar Guliyev  gave testimony. He rejected accusations on  preparation riots during a protest against the deaths of soldiers March 10, 2013 in Baku.

Guliyev said that under torture in the MNS  he was forced  to give testimony against another defendant, Rashad Hasanov. Subsequently, during the confrontation with Hasanov and subsequent testimonies he rejected his testimonies.

"Rashad Hasanov allegedly handed me a "Molotov cocktails" through a third party , and I passed them  Novruzlu Shaheen, although  I was not acquainted  with him, and only corresponded  in the facebook.

The city is full of surveillance cameras. Did not  they  recorded as we "passed" from hand to hand Molotov cocktails? If such  happened, the cameras would have recorded it, and investigation would submit them to the court. But there was nothing like this," said Guliyev.

He said that before January 11, 2013 he was arrested along with another accused Mamed Azizov, when they were handing out leaflets calling to participate in a protest on January 12.

"Then in the  Sabail District  Police  N9 we were beaten; they demanded  to name a person who gave us leaflets, and we said that we had made them ourselves," said Guliyev.

The  trial  will continue on April 1. -06C-

2014 March 28 (Friday) 16:43:19

At the trial in the case of the activists of NIDA Movement the accused Shahin Novruzlu gave testimonies. The young man said that the revolutionary  events  in the Arab world caused his great interest, and   the revolution for him meant improving people's livelihood , the fight against injustice. However,  because  in Azerbaijan pickets and rallies were stopped by the police, he began to think about other forms of mass struggle.

From  the news about events in democratic countries  he saw the demonstrators using "Molotov cocktails", and considered it acceptable in the political struggle. He found  in the Internet a few videos on the manufacture and use of "Molotov cocktails."However, after supporters told him that they reject the violent methods of struggle, he lost interest in "Molotov cocktails." It was in mid-February 2013,  three weeks before his arrest. It is noteworthy that before the arrest Novruzlu was not familiar  with other  seven arrested.  He communicated in facebook only with Bakhtiyar Guliyev.

Novruzlu was   joined  NIDA Movement virtually, sending profile to Guliyev and received from him two days later confirmation. After that only one activist met with him and informed about the peaceful methods of struggle. Next Novruzlu noted that drugs and "Molotov cocktails" were planed to their homes by the  employees of the National Security Ministry (NSM.)

He said that after the arrest he  was subjected to physical and psychological pressure in the NSM. On  March 7  when he was brought to the  NSM , he said that drugs and "Molotov cocktails" do not belong to him. Before being placed to the ward, Novruzlu  was unjustly beaten,  and his four teeth were knocked out.

Then came two  other employees, and one of them offered to beat Novruzlu with baton. The other man did not agree. The next day, during interrogation  an athletic looking man entered the room , asked the investigator Gasim Tagieva  how Novruzlu behaves . Investigator complained that Novruzlu "does not want to tell the truth."

"This man  punched me in the chest  so badly that for a while I could not even breathe ," - said Novruzlu , adding that he was threatened with reprisals against his relatives.

Then he was taken to another room, where he was  told that they will fine him and release, but it is necessary to write the testimony that  they will dictate him. Then he should  record  it all on video "for the file." "I was told that two young people were released after  they did it. They made Novruzlu  to  repeated the recorded text, and gave several papers to sign. In parallel, the father of a young man was  offered in court to sign some papers, promising to release his son. One of these papers confirmed allegedly participation  of his father in the interrogation in the MNS because at that time Shahin was not an adult. However Novruzlu and his father Ibrahim Novruzov denied this.

Further, the defendant 's father Ibrahim Novruzov said that up to 10  NSM officers broke into their house in the March 7, 2013 without submitting any documents, and began a search . All this time, the apartment door was opened, and people were coming in and out. As a result, a package with drugs was “found” in the washing machine, and in the hallway  was "found" a box with bottles filled with liquid. "They brought the  box  in the end. Prior to this, in the apartment there was a  smell of gasoline," said Novruzov.

According to him,  the  employees of the NSM  took away from the apartment 94,100 manat, which friends gave him to store, and some of the money belonged to his brother and sister. I. Novruzova .

He explained that  he had a safe and  could money keeping was reliable.

"Money did  not belong to Shahin. There are not even fingerprints there," said the father. In addition,  they seized phone sim card  amounting 16,000 manat. ( I.Novruzov works in currency exchange and is also engaged in the wholesale of phone cards.) "Until now, no money, no SIM card is not returned."

The trial continues.

*All of the defendants were arrested in March and April 2013 on charges of plotting riots during a protest on March 10 against non-combat losses in the army. They also filed charges of illegal possession of explosives, drugs, and hooliganism. Amnesty International recognized all arrested "prisoners of conscience."  —06D-