Public Committee to Protect Rufat Safarov

Committee to protect the righst of Rufat Safarov ,the former investigator  of  Zardab Regional Prosecutor's Office , has been established. The Committee is headed by the chairman of the Association of Azerbaijani Intelligentsia Eldaniz Guliyev. Safarov is the son of a former member of parliament and one of the founders of the ruling party "Yeni Azerbaijan" Eldar Sabiroglu, who last year publicly criticized the head of Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev.

In December Safarov publicly criticized the authorities for violations of the law and the poor performance of law enforcement, announced his retirement from the prosecution. In turn, prosecutors  stated that safarov was dismissed for "for improper conduct."

After that,  he was charged with taking bribes, on 8 September  the Lankaran Serious Crimes Court   sentenced himto nine years in prison. He denied the charges and called them politically motivated.

Guliyev said that members of the public decided to defend Safarov, as they  doubt  the truth of the charges brought against Safarov.

According to Guliyev public committee included lawyers and attorneys Behruz Bayramov, Gurban Mammadov, Namizad Safarov, Muzaffar Bahish, poets Mammad Ismail, Rustam Behrudi, journalists Avaz Zeynalov, Parviz Hashimli, human rights activist Oktay Gyulalyev, publicist Zumrud Yagmur, a former attorney of Justice Vidadi Mirkamal and other well-known members of the public.

In the coming days will be a meeting of the public committee  which will appeal to international organizations, and meetings with heads of diplomatic missions will be held. The Committee plans to hold press conferences and briefings. It is planned to appeal to the head of state.

The lawyer Behruz Bayramov said that the verdict  against Safarov  passed on September 27 will be filed  in the Shirvan Court of Appeal. -03B06-