Azerbaijan: Fatullaev's custody in SIZO extended by 2 months

On February 26, the Garadag District Court of Baku upheld the presentation of the District Prosecutor's Office and extended the custody term of Einullah Fatullaev, editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Real Azerbaijan", who is kept in the Baku Investigatory Isolation Facility (known as "SIZO"), by two more months.

Elchin Sadygov, journalist's advocate, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the investigation under the new charge against Fatullaev of drug storage is prolonged till April 30. He named this decision unjustified. According to the lawyer, no investigatory actions were undertaken in relation to Fatullaev during the last 15 days.

Moreover, Mr Sadygov continued, on February 20, the Garadag District Prosecutor's Office sent a letter to the defence that the investigation was over. "However, later the Office asked, for unknown reasons, the court to extend the term of investigation," the lawyer has noticed. Mr Sadygov said that "the decision to extend the investigation is illegal, because it is motivated by nothing and will be appealed against at the Baku Appeal Court."

The Garadag District Prosecutor's Office refused from comments, arguing that the "investigation goes on."

The lawyer has also reported that on February 25 Fatullaev was visited in the SIZO by Peter Semnebi, EU Special Representative for Southern Caucasus. According Sadygov, Semnebi told Fatullaev about numerous appeals of the EU to Azerbaijani authorities concerning his release.