The Supreme Court`s decision will be appealed in Strasbourg (UPDATED)

The decision of the Azerbaijani Supreme Court's in the case of the leader of the "Republican Alternative" (REAL) Movement Ilgar Mamedov and deputy chairman of the party "Musavat" Tofig Yagublu will be appealed  in  the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR.)

Mammadov and Yagublu were arrested in connection with the unrest in the city of Ismayilli in January 2013. On March 17, 2014, they were sentenced to seven and five years in prison, respectively. Yagublu was freed by presidential decree of pardon on March 17, 2016.

Today, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Mammadov and Yagublu. During the meeting, the lawyer Fuad Agayev Mamedov and Yagublu asked to stop the prosecution of justificatory grounds in relation to the absence of corpus delicti. According to Agayev, the verdict against Mamedov and Yagublu is "a blow to the fairness of the trial in Azerbaijan."

"Neither the investigation nor the court proved the guilt of Mammadov and Yagublu. For when they were in the town of Ismayilli there were no events, the situation was calm. Mammadov and Yagublu were just outside the city, and did not commit unlawful acts. This is confirmed by videotape from the ATM of  the commercial UniBank. Witnesses brought against Ilgar Mammadov, were not there at all. This is absolutely false accusations," said the lawyer. He noted that the decision of the ECHR in the case of Mammadov noted that he was arrested because of the political activity and persecuted.

"Azerbaijan joined the European Convention on Human Rights and has international obligations. The government should respect them and justify Mamedov," said the lawyer.

He further pointed out that the ECHR started to communicate the complaint Mamedov on breach of his right to defense in the trial court. "So, at the complaint of the judge of Sheki Court in the case  of  Mamedov, the lawyer Khalid Bagirov, was removed from the  trial, and is excluded from the Bar," Agayev said.

Yagublu also said he did not expect a fair decision from the court, which issued verdicts in order from the top. He recalled that on January 24, 2013 - the day after the riots, he was in the  Ismayilli a total of about 50 minutes, and then police actually deported  him from the region.

"It is clear that the government does not want to release Ilgar Mamedov – because it is afraid of his political leadership," Turan  was told by Azer Gasimov, the board member of the movement "REAL".

Lawyer Agayev informed that a complaint to the ECHR will be filed in the Supreme Court's decision.

Yagublu also  will appeal to the ECHR. -03B06--

2016 November 18 (Friday) 12:36:21

The Azerbaijani Supreme Court dismissed the appeal from the convicted leader of the movement REAL Ilgar Mammadov. The Court chaired by Ali Seyfaliyev dismissed the complaint aimed to discontinue the criminal prosecution in the absence of a crime event.

Mammadov was arrested on false charges of organizing riots in Ismayilli in January 2013 and sentenced to 7 years in prison. The ECHR in May 2014 recognized the illegality of his arrest and called for his release. However, the Azerbaijani authorities have ignored the call.

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers at the meeting of 20-21 September found a violation of the European Convention of Human Rights and Freedoms in the refusal to release Mammadov. -03D16-