Rauf Mirkadirov not brought to Nasimi Court (UPDATED)

The Nasimi Court consideration of the complaint by the journalist Rauf Mirkadirov appointed to 14.30 did not take place. The reason for that was failure to bring Mirkadirov to the court from the MNS jail. The journalist complained about the prison authorities not allowing a notary officer to visit him.

In this regard, the meeting was moved to the morning of June 9, the lawyer Elmar Suleymanov told Turan.

Need for the involvement of Turkish lawyers is caused by the infringement of Mirkadirov’s rights at his deportation from Ankara. According to defense, he actually was extradited, not deported.

* Mirkadirov was arrested April 19 immediately after the deportation from Turkey. He was charged with spying for Armenia. On April 21 the court ordered against him a preventive measure of arrest for three months. -16B06 -

2014 June 06 (Friday) 14:24:46

Baku/06.06.14/Turan Baku Appeals Court today dismissed the complaint by the journalist Rauf Mirkadirov due to restriction of his right to meetings and telephone conversations with his family, as well as his receiving media at his choice in jail. The lawyer Elmar Suleymanov told Turan.

According to him, the defense applied for recognition of falsification of decisions of the investigator and the investigator's signature handwriting expertise. As explained Suleymanov, the decision of the investigator Ibrahim Lemberansky does not include his signature.

When the case was heard in the Sabail court, the prosecution was represented by another investigator, and he said that the decision on the criminal case is signed by Lemberansky. When he offered to show this document, the investigator left and after 15 minutes presented the decision allegedly signed by Lemberansky.

"It is unrealistic for 12-15 minutes to drive from the Sabail court to the Investigation Department for Serious Crimes and get the signature back. Obviously, the investigator forged Lemberansky’s signature, the more so because it is not like the signature of Lemberansky under other documents," said Suleymanov. Therefore, the defense insisted on holding handwriting expertise.

The spurious document itself cannot be a ground for restricting human rights of Mirkadirov, said the lawyer. However, the court rejected the defense motion.

On Friday afternoon the Nasimi District Court held a further consideration of the complaint by Mirkadirov about not allowing him a notary to transfer power of attorney to Turkish lawyers. The need for the involvement of Turkish lawyers was caused by the infringement of Mirkadirov’s rights at his deportation from Ankara. According to the defense, he was actually extradited and not deported.

* Mirkadirov was arrested April 19 immediately after the deportation from Turkey. He was charged with spying for Armenia. On April 21 the court ordered against him a preventive measure of arrest for three months.

The journalist denied the charge, considering it absurd and refusing to testify. But yesterday he decided to testify investigation to provide clarity on some issues. -16B06 –