Number of Those Arrested for Participation in Rally Reached Twelve (UPDATED)

Baku / 19.09.56 / Turan: Eight young activists detained after the opposition rally on 17 September were sentenced by the Yasamal Court to 8 days of administrative arrest.

Ruslan Gara, Nuru Nuruzadeh, Elton Ali, Araz Samed, Mamed Balamamedov, Dayanat Aliyev, Kazim Imanov and Shamistan Shahverdiyev were found guilty of disobeying the police orders.

Another activist, Nurlan Sariyev, was released after paying a compulsory fine of 200 manats.

Thus, the total number of those arrested for their participation in the rally reached 12.  -06d--

2016 September 19 (Monday) 11:53:12

Baku / 19.09.16 / Turan: On Monday the Yasamal Court of Baku arrested four PFPA activists for eight days on charges of resisting police. This was reported to Turan by the PFPA Deputy Chairman, Gezal Bayramli.  -16D-

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Baku / 19.09.16 / Turan: Still unclear is the fate of several PFPA youth activists arrested by the police after Saturday's rally of the National Council.

Nuru Nurizadeh, Ruslan Gara, Elton Ali and Togrul Ibrahimli were taken to the Yasamal police, and a few hours later sent to the district court. However, they were later returned to the Yasamal police.

The court did not consider their case and it is unclear when this will happen, the Deputy Chairman of PFPA, Gezal Bayramli, told Turan. According to her, the police refused to give information on the fate of these young people. ‘They do not give information not only to us but also to the families of these children. Therefore, we believe they are being tortured or facing a lot of pressure,’ she said.

The same was confirmed by the lawyer Asabali Mustafayev in the talk with Turan IA. ‘We are not given any information. But some accusation certainly should emerge – either administrative or criminal, so that the lawyer was able to get a warrant. Relatives of the detainees maintain constant contact with me. Police must provide detainees the lawyer they want, but in practice this right is often violated.

The detention of the young people for two days by the police, without charge or access to counsel, is a gross violation of the rule of law,’ he said.

Recall that at the completion of Saturday's rally of the National Council, the police attacked activists departing from the action and, using violence, detained about 40 people, including many journalists. Later they were released, except for the above four activists. The Interior Ministry officially claimed that some of the protesters had violated public order. -16B-

2016 September 18 (Sunday) 15:43:55

After Saturday's rally of the National Council, the police detained 37 participants, including several journalists.

The detentions took place without any reason and in rough form. All of them were tied up and shoved into buses. Some were beaten. They were taken to the Yasamal Police, where they were held for several hours. Most of them are members of the youth branch of the Popular Front Party. Turan was told by the PFPA Deputy Chairman Gezal Bayramli.

According to her, five young people were taken to court today. They are Elton Aliyev, Togrul Ibrahimli, Ilkin Ismail, and Nuru Nurizadeh. Apparently, they will be accused of resisting the police and arrested for several days, according to the PFPA.

In turn, a source in the police department of Baku said that some of the protesters had violated public order. -16D-