21:00, 12 September 2009

Azerbaijan: IPD director calls judge to be objective in bloggers' case

Azerbaijan, Baku. Photo by www.echo-az.com, Samir Aliyev

Leila Yunus, director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), has addressed Araz Guseinov, a judge of the Sabail District Court of Baku, with an appeal to objectively consider the case of bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadjizade and to become "the first fair Azerbaijani judge."

The young men are accused of hooliganism; however, as human rights defendants are sure, the bloggers are pursued for manifestations of their political dissidence in the Internet.

Leila Yunus remarks that Judge Guseinov has a chance to "enter the history", since he was instructed to consider the case of bloggers, which is now in the focus of attention of international community.

"You just need to fulfil your duty of the judge fairly and professionally: I call you to consider the case publicly, on the basis of the law and justice. You should be a fair professional and citizen," Ms Yunus writes in her message to Judge Guseinov.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent could not contact Judge Guseinov to know his reaction to Ms Yunus' appeal. The secretariat of the court has also refrained from any comments on the subject.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent