PFPA Activist’s Cassation rejected

Azerbaijani Supreme Court dismissed the complaint from the activist of the Nakhchivan regional branch of the Popular Front Party (PFPA) Zeynal Bagirzadeh and upheld the decisions of the lower courts on his deprivation of liberty for 8 years on charges of using violence against a representative of authorities.

The application was considered by the judges, chaired by Gulzar Rzayeva.

Bagirzadeh’s rights are defended by the lawyer Fakhraddin Mehdiyev.

"The trial was formal and the court upheld the sentence," said the deputy chairman of PFPA Gozel Bayramli.

The defense will apply to the European Court of Human Rights, noted the lawyer Fahradddin Mehdiyev.

Bagirzadeh was arrested November 16, 2015 on charges of resisting the authorities with violence (article 315.1 of the Criminal Code).

During the investigation the charge was increased into the resistance to the authorities with violence dangerous for life (315.2). Bagirzadeh was imprisoned for 4 years. By this time he was added suspended sentence imposed in another case back in 2012.

Bagirzadeh did not accept the charges, considering his arrest politically motivated. According to him, in respect of him there was a provocation by the State Social Protection Fund. A few days before his arrest the Fund’s employees came home to Bagirzade, demanding payment to the Fund.

Bagirzadeh himself was out then, and an official Faig Ismayilov spoke offensively against the host.

Later Bagirzadeh went to the Fund and expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of officials and filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office. However, his application was withdrawn and the prosecution was brought against the very Bagirzadeh. The Babek District Court on February 2, 2016 sentenced him to 8 years. The NAR Supreme Court subsequently upheld that decision, dismissing the appeal by Bagirzadeh. -06D--