Azerbaijan: GPO refused to open case on Bakhtiyar Gadjiev's beating

The preliminary investigation of the case of oppositionist Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, who was arrested on March 4 in the city of Gandzha, is over. Although the investigation has accused the young man of evasion from military service, his lawyers and human rights activists believe that Bakhtiyar is persecuted for political reasons. The General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) refused to open a criminal investigation into his beating by the police.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Elchin Namazov, Gadjiev's advocate, that the case had been sent to the Nizami District Court of the city of Gandzha. Emin Akhundov, was appointed to be the judge on the case; however, the time of the session is still unknown, the advocate has added.

According to Mr Namazov, the GPO has refused to initiate a criminal investigation into the beating of Gadjiev, when he was detained on March 4. "The GPO finished studying our complaint dealing with his beating. However, according to prosecutors, the fact of beating was not confirmed," the lawyer said and expressed his disagreement with this conclusion. "The investigation was superficial and incorrect," he said and added that the defence had not been presented with the results of the forensic examination.

According to Namazov, the defence is going to appeal against the GPO's decision at court.