Presided over by Anar Ibrahimov, Khachmaz District Court held preliminary hearings today on the case of 6 people accused of rioting in Guba on March 1, 2012. In the dock were Elkhan Aliyev, head of the local municipality, Vugar Gonagov, chief executive and editor of the local TV channel Khayal TV and others.
They were charged under sections 233 (public nuisance), 309.2 (abuse of power), 186.2 (property damage), and 315.2 (resistance to authority by force) of the Criminal Code. Proceeding were to have begun on November 30 in the Guba court, but judge Fizuli Panahov refused to deal with the case, as he participated in the case against another group involved in the events.
The Sumgayit Court of Appeal referred the case to the territorial jurisdiction of neighboring Khachmaz. According to observers, the case was heard in the neighboring Khachmaz for fear of protests by residents of Guba, considering that the defendants are known people.
At today's meeting, the lawyers made motions to change the conditions of restraint from arrest to house arrest. Prosecutor Ahad Ibragimov opposed. Gonagov requested that he be retained in custody, and that other defendants be released because of their age. He also stated that the defendants are innocent. "It was me that gave the disc of the video presentation by Rauf Khabibov to Elkhan Aliyev, head of the community. Leave me in custody, and free the others," said Gonagov. The judge did not consider the claims and advised counsel to prepare for trial on December 19.
About 50 people from Guba attended the trial; they met and escorted the defendants in the courtyard shouting "Eshg Olsun" ("Glory!").
* On March 1, thousands of Guba residents staged a rally to demand the resignation of Rauf Khabibov, Chief Executive of the district in connection with the exposed online videos, where he uttered a series of insults about local residents. The protest turned into a riot, Khabibov’s villa was burnt, and damage was caused to the building of the district executive. The next day Khabibov was dismissed as head of the district.
The trial regards four groups of defendants - 30 people altogether. -06B-
Social
-
On November 1, the weather in the capital will be cloudy, with light rain in some areas during the night and morning. There will be a moderate southwest wind. The temperature at night will range from +7 to +10°C, and during the day it will be +12 to +15°C. Humidity will be 70-80% both at night and during the day. No precipitation is expected across the country. There may be fog in some areas, with a moderate west wind.
-
After introducing six innovative products to its subscribers in a short time, Bakcell was honoured with the "Most Successful Rebranding" award at the prestigious international advertising and marketing competition "Felis." The award ceremony took place at the traditional "Brand Week" event held on 8 November 2024 in Istanbul.
-
The International Coalition for Democratic Renewal (ICDR) and Forum 2000 Foundation expressed grave concerns over the escalating repression of civil society in Azerbaijan, issuing a joint statement. The groups highlighted the government's intensified crackdown on lawyers, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, painting a stark picture of a country where dissenting voices are systematically silenced.
-
The Times Higher Education (THE), a leading international organization with an audience of 60 million and ranked among the world's top 100 networks in the field of education and skills assessment, has published a comprehensive article titled “Calls for the Release of Azerbaijani Scholar as Climate Summit Begins.” THE, known for its annual ranking of world universities, notes that while a major fossil fuel producer hosts a gathering of global leaders, it is cracking down on dissenters. Human rights groups are urging the Azerbaijani government, which is hosting the COP29 climate conference, to release a scholar detained after criticizing fossil fuel policies.
Leave a review