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SHOW-TRIAL OVER APRIL 2 PROTESTERS
Azerireport
Sep 19, 2011
Tural Abbasli enters the court-hall
BAKU. September 19, 2011: Today, the Court continued the trial
over the opposition activists Arif Hajili, Mahammad Majidli, Tural
Abbasli and Fuad Gahramanli. Arif Hajili is the deputy chairman of
the opposition Musavat party; Tural Abbasli is the leader of the
Musavat Youth Organization; Mahammad Majidli is the member of the
opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA); Fuad Gahramanli
is the PFPA deputy chairman. They are accused of participating in the
April 2 rally of the opposition. The prosecution claims that these
people caused injuries to policemen and damaged the private property
in the vicinity of the opposition action on April 2.
The witnesses against the opposition activists were mainly policemen.
One of the police-witnesses Tarlan Ahmadov said he remembered that
his leg was injured but he did not recognize any of the four accused
opposition activists. During the cross-examination, it became clear
that during the preliminary investigation, this policeman had claimed
that he had received a back injury. The police-witness's explanation
was that 6 months had passed since the incident and he did not
remember everything.
Arif Hajili at today's trial
The prosecution also introduced the witnesses who owned stores in the
downtown area of Baku where the opposition held its rally on April 2.
During the preliminary investigation these persons had claimed that
their property had been damaged by the opposition activists. The
witness Rauf Humbatov, the owner of the DNS-Computer Store said his
store's windows were broken but he had not seen who had committed
that act. Humbatov said his store had suffered damages in the amount
of 250 AZN (about $280), that he did not know any of the defendants,
and that he withdrew his complaint against them. Another property
owner in the area - Elvin Ahmadov - similarly testified that his
shop's window was broken but that he had not seen the person who did
it and that he had no complaint against these four defendants.
The prosecution also introduced a police-witness who had not witnesses
anything. The police officer Rauf Tagiyev he heard from other policemen
that the defendants had been engaged in "illegal activities."
Arif Hajili, the accused Musavat deputy chairman, said this was a
show-trial over the opposition activists, that the window-breakers
were the police-provocateurs.
This is the second "set" of April 2 protesters. Prior to these
proceedings, the local court in Baku had already convicted the first
"set" - six opposition activists arrested for their participation in
the April 2 rally under the similar charges (Azerireport).
Azerireport
Sep 19, 2011
Tural Abbasli enters the court-hall
BAKU. September 19, 2011: Today, the Court continued the trial
over the opposition activists Arif Hajili, Mahammad Majidli, Tural
Abbasli and Fuad Gahramanli. Arif Hajili is the deputy chairman of
the opposition Musavat party; Tural Abbasli is the leader of the
Musavat Youth Organization; Mahammad Majidli is the member of the
opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA); Fuad Gahramanli
is the PFPA deputy chairman. They are accused of participating in the
April 2 rally of the opposition. The prosecution claims that these
people caused injuries to policemen and damaged the private property
in the vicinity of the opposition action on April 2.
The witnesses against the opposition activists were mainly policemen.
One of the police-witnesses Tarlan Ahmadov said he remembered that
his leg was injured but he did not recognize any of the four accused
opposition activists. During the cross-examination, it became clear
that during the preliminary investigation, this policeman had claimed
that he had received a back injury. The police-witness's explanation
was that 6 months had passed since the incident and he did not
remember everything.
Arif Hajili at today's trial
The prosecution also introduced the witnesses who owned stores in the
downtown area of Baku where the opposition held its rally on April 2.
During the preliminary investigation these persons had claimed that
their property had been damaged by the opposition activists. The
witness Rauf Humbatov, the owner of the DNS-Computer Store said his
store's windows were broken but he had not seen who had committed
that act. Humbatov said his store had suffered damages in the amount
of 250 AZN (about $280), that he did not know any of the defendants,
and that he withdrew his complaint against them. Another property
owner in the area - Elvin Ahmadov - similarly testified that his
shop's window was broken but that he had not seen the person who did
it and that he had no complaint against these four defendants.
The prosecution also introduced a police-witness who had not witnesses
anything. The police officer Rauf Tagiyev he heard from other policemen
that the defendants had been engaged in "illegal activities."
Arif Hajili, the accused Musavat deputy chairman, said this was a
show-trial over the opposition activists, that the window-breakers
were the police-provocateurs.
This is the second "set" of April 2 protesters. Prior to these
proceedings, the local court in Baku had already convicted the first
"set" - six opposition activists arrested for their participation in
the April 2 rally under the similar charges (Azerireport).