Tofig Yagublu Demanded Admission of Journalists to Court

Baku / 26.08.20 / Turan: Opposition politician Tofig Yagublu demanded a live broadcast from the trial over him, as well as the admission of media representatives.

“There should be a live broadcast and all media should participate, as it was during the trial of Ramiz Mehdiyev’s son-in-law and his matchmaker,” Yagublu said at a hearing in the Nizami District Court on August 25.

However, Judge Nariman Mehdiyev again refused to admit journalists under the pretext of a quarantine regime. Yagublu's relatives told Turan about this.

After that Yagublu, addressing the judge, said:

“Are you a relative of Ramiz Mehdiyev, and he didn’t invite you to his granddaughter’s wedding?”

After that, the judge announced a short break, and Yagublu's lawyers asked the judge to give them five minutes for a confidential conversation with the defendant.

The judge gave such permission, but the guards did not allow the lawyers to retire with Yagublu.

Further, witnesses were heard, one of whom did not bring an identity card, and the second sent a telegram that he would not be able to participate in the process and confirmed the testimony during the investigation.

In the second half of the day, the testimony of a 15-year-old teenager was heard, who answered all questions not definitely - “I don’t know,” “I don’t remember,” etc.

In this regard, the lawyers doubted his ability to understand what was happening. They petitioned for an expert examination to test the witness's ability to understand what was happening. However, the judge did not grant the request.

Further, witness Novruz Novruzov, who was involved by the injured party, gave evidence.

However, the lawyers drew attention to the fact that another person is indicated in the lists of witnesses - Javanshir Novruzov. Therefore, the other cannot act instead of him. The judge attributed this to a "mechanical error".

The process will continue on 26 August.

* On March 22, a parked car in which Tofig Yagublu was sitting was hit by a car driven by citizen Elkhan Jabrailov. After that, Jabrailov entered into a fight with Yagublu, accusing him of this accident.

The Nizami district police opened a criminal case under Article 221.3 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism using objects as weapons).

Yagublu himself and his colleagues called the incident a provocation in order to condemn the oppositionist for his criticism of the government on social networks. International human rights organizations condemned the arrest of Yagublu. -06B-