In Azerbaijan, oppositionist's son charged of wilful murder

In the Jalilabad District of Azerbaijan, located at 220 km to the south of Baku, the 15-year-old son of Tazakhan Miralamli, head of the local branch of the oppositional Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) has been charged under Article 120 of the Criminal Code (wilful murder). Relatives of the perished boy blame doctors for his death. The oppositionist himself is still in hospital in Baku.

From the moment of his detention on April 5 the teenager was deprived of legal protection by the lawyer hired by the family. His was defended by the lawyer appointed by the state. Only on April 6 the family attracted the trusted lawyer - Takhir Khanaliev, who plans to visit Jalilabad on April 8 in order to get acquainted with the circumstances of the tragic accident. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by the lawyer himself.

He said that he did not yet know where the detainee was kept - at the police or the prosecutor's office, and whether there was already a court decision on his freedom restraint. According to his story, "the investigators have already violated the rules of procedure." "By the law, a 15-year-old defendant should be interrogated in the presence of a parent; but this was not done," said Khanaliev.

He also explained that should the boy's guilt be proved, the court may award him with the maximum sentence - no more than 10 years in prison, since the defendant is a minor.

The boy's father Tazakhan Miralamli, who is still in Baku, at Clinical Centre No. 1, has put the responsibility for the murder on the leadership of the school. In general, he believes that this tragic incident "was a consequence of the authorities' policy of making the image of enemy out of the opposition, the atmosphere of impunity for the crimes committed against oppositionists."

Tazakhan Miralamli expressed his deep condolence to the relatives of the murdered boy.

The wounds of Miralamli himself, who has severely damaged eyes and kidneys, have not yet healed up. He plans to file a complaint to the prosecutor's office against his beating by the police.

Meanwhile, Tazakhan Miralamli's wife - Asli Abyeva - was forced to come from Jalilabad to Baku with their second son. According to her story, on April 5, one of the classmates began taunting their son because of his father, whose photograph with beatings was printed in newspapers.

The other Abyeva's son, who studied in the same class with his brother, said that another classmate began insulting him and hi brother; then, the boys started fighting. According to the boy's story, the teacher separated them and drove everyone into the classroom, except for the fighters. Then, the classmate called his brother from the 10th form and his friends, who attacked his brother. "My brother had no knife. They brought the knife," said the teenager.

Already 30 minutes after the incident, a protest action started in front of Miralamli's house with demands to execute oppositionists. Tazakhan Miralamli and his wife believe that it was a pre-prepared provocation.

According to Ms Abyeva, the policemen and people in civilian clothes who came to their home asked "What right do you have to live in Azerbaijan?" and demanded that they get out of the district. "I couldn't withstand it, and at night together with the other son I left the district," said the woman.

"We can't get back there anymore. They won't let us live there. The authorities will arrange new provocations," she said.

In his turn, Gasan Gasanli, the father of the deceased boy, said that his son did not die on the way to the hospital, as reported by the media. After the boy was taken to hospital, he was still alive for half an hour. "My son lost a lot of blood. When I came to the hospital, he was still alive. I begged doctor's to save my son. But they acted slowly. His schoolmates donated blood, but they failed to make a transfusion. My son died in my hands," said Gasanli as quoted by the newspaper "Eni Musavat".

Speaking about the circumstances of the incident, Gasanli said that his son was joking with another boy, and Tazakhan Miralamli's thought that they wanted to hurt him. According to Gasanli, the teenager was in a nervous state because of detention of his father at the rally, and the quarrel burst out on this basis."

Gasanli's relatives are going to complain against doctors. In their view, they could have saved the life of the wounded boy.

Valekh Mamedov, Chief Physician of the Jalilabad District Hospital said that the perished boy was brought to the hospital "in grave condition; he had lost much blood and was in death throes; therefore, it was impossible to save him."

Shamsaddin Bunyadov, head of the ICU (intensive care unit), said that the wounded boy was brought to hospital at 11:10 a.m. and died at 11:40 a.m. According to his story, when the teenager was brought to hospital, "his blood tension was at zero."

The relatives of the casualty said they did not take part in the picket in front of the house of Tazakhan Miralamli.

The managers of the school and the executive authorities of the Jalilabad District refuse to comment on the tragic incident.

Eldar Safarov, deputy chief of the Jalilabad district police, said that "there was no political action." According to his story, the funeral procession just stopped in front of the house of Tazakhan Miralamli to express their protest. According to Safarov, the police took measures to prevent any possible incidents.

He asserts that "there was a dispute between the boys"; and the oppositionist's son received a slap from his offender; then, he brought a knife from home and hit him. "The investigation is run by the Prosecutor's Office," said Safarov.

In its turn, the District Prosecutor's Office, has only confirmed the fact of opening of a criminal case under Article 120 (wilful murder).

However, the state television in Azerbaijan showed footage of the action in Jalilabad, where slogans were announced: "Oppositionists are murderers!", "The opposition shall be driven out of the country!" and "Tazakhan Miralamli, go out of the district!"

According to Azerbaijani psychologist Azad Isazade, the killing of a teenager in Jalilabad for insulting another teenager - the son of the oppositionist - was not accidental. "This is the result of the official propaganda, which is busy exposing 'people's enemies'," said the expert.

"Teens are maximalists; they see everything in two colours; and they are intolerant to insults," said Isazade.

In his turn, Ali Gasanov, head of the socio-political division of the presidential administration of Azerbaijan, is not inclined to "politicize the issue." "It's not a good incident; but I'm not inclined to politicize it. Law enforcement bodies are conducting an investigation and study all the circumstances; a respective assessment will be made; and all the perpetrators will be punished," the "APA" Agency quotes Mr Gasanov as saying.