Relatives of the soldier refute the prosecutor's office

Baku/11.07.20/ Turan: The Prosecutor General's Office issued a statement in connection with reports of the death of a soldier, Fardi Yaraliyev.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the information published by some media and distributed on social networks that signs of violence were found on the body of Fardi Yaraliev, a resident of the village of Uchgyun in the Guba region, who drowned in the Alazan River during military service in the border troops, is not true. Representatives of the military prosecutor's office of the Zagatala region examined the scene of the incident and found some interesting objects as material evidence. In addition, appropriate examinations were appointed, witnesses were questioned, and other actions were taken.

In fact, a lawsuit has been filed in the military prosecutor's office of the Zagatala region under the Article 342.1-1 (negligent attitude to the service that caused significant harm), an investigation group has been created. During the examination of the body of the late Fardi Yaraliev, no injuries or traces of them were found. The criminal investigation is ongoing. The General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan called on the media "not to disseminate inaccurate information." However, the soldier’s uncle Khamis Yaraliev told Turan that he did not believe in the version that his nephew drowned in the river while swimming.

“On that day, July 8 at 13:20 he phoned us. He was at the post. When he was talking, someone told him “turn off the phone”. After that, the conversation was interrupted. We called back, but the phone was disconnected. Later we were told that Fardy drowned.  How a person on duty, he could drown,” H. Yaraliev said. According to him, F. Yaraliev did not swim in the Alazan River. “His mother repeatedly told him not to swim in the river, and he said that he did not go to the water at all,” F. Yaraliev noted. The persons who delivered the body of the soldier did not submit any documents.

Khamis Yaraliyev said that the relatives opened the coffin and saw a wound on his head, allegedly arising from a blow with a blunt object. “But his mouth was filled with sand to create the appearance that he allegedly drowned in the river. We all recorded on video. Now we are going to Baku, to the prosecutor’s office, and from there we will go to Zagatala,” the soldier’s uncle said.

Lawyer Samira Agayeva commenting on a Turan warning by the media prosecutor’s office regarded this, as “Investigation authorities, including the prosecutor’s office, cannot warn the media for covering someone’s event. For the task of journalists is to collect information and disseminate it through the media. Intervention of any organ in this is like censorship. It is also a violation of the laws on mass media and on information, including the Constitution of Azerbaijan and article 10 of the European Convention,” Agayeva said.

According to her, if the media made a mistake or violation, the prosecutor’s office may conduct an investigation. “If during the investigation, a violation of the law is discovered, then a decision can be made to hold accountable. However, warning media by the investigating authority means oversight of the media and censorship,” said lawyer.-021B-