In Azerbaijan, Gadjiev's advocates challenge the court

The Nizami District court of the city of Gandzha, chaired by Judge Emin Akhundov, began hearings of the case of activist Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, accused of evading military service. The activist rejects the accusation; his supporters also believe that he is accused for political reasons, for his active civil position and his actions in social networks.

At the start of the session, advocates moved a number of petitions, including asking to allow audio and video recording. However, the judge allowed only a brief photo and video session, and prohibited to run audio recording of the trial, said advocate Elchin Namazov.

Besides, it was petitioned to close the criminal case. "However, the judge, without any arguments, based solely on the arguments of the state prosecutor, said that Bakhtiyar Gadjiev's actions have 'crime elements' and rejected the petition," said the lawyer.

The judge also refused to satisfy the motion on changing Gadjiev's freedom restriction measure and release him from custody. In this case, Judge Akhundov disregarded the defence's arguments that Gadjiev has no chances to influence witnesses, falsify evidences or hiding from justice, since all his papers are at the police. "The court was not affected by the fact that Gadjiev is an intellectual, a graduate of Harvard University and a figure known by the society," continued lawyer Namazov. The judge also refused to release Gadjiev on bail, he added.

The next petition had to do with "Gadjiev's inhuman treatment" at his detention, and asked to summon as witnesses the two policemen who came to Gadjiev's home to arrest him. The judge has partially upheld the petition and agreed to call the policemen.

Seeing that most of the petitions were dismissed, the defendant and his advocates challenged the court.

To express their support to Gadjiev, 50 activist's supporters, intellectuals, rights defenders and lawyers came to Gandzha. They were holding a poster: "We want justice in relation to Bakhtiyar! Because we love Azerbaijan!"

A broad campaign in support of Bakhtiyar Gadjiev is run on the Facebook.

"The trial of Bakhtiyar Gadjiev shows once again that the authorities see their enemy in everyone who wants democracy and freedom and works towards them," Intigam Aliev, a well-known lawyer and head of the Society of Legal Education, noted on this page in the Facebook.

The user named NaNo Guseinli left the following note: "I myself, and many young people in my behalf, want to see Bakhtiyar the leader of our country."

Djamil Gasanli, a former MP and a well-know historian, said in his turn: "The number of young people eager for changes is higher than the capacity of prisons. We must accept this simple truth and start real reforms."

"Shame on the government of Azerbaijan that the US Secretary of State takes care about the Azerbaijani young man. America cares more about the Harvard graduate than the government of Azerbaijan about their citizen," wrote another user named Dervish Lazym.

Let us note here that Mark Kirk, Senator from Illinois, sent a letter to Hilary Clinton, US Secretary of State, on Gadjiev's case. The letter asks to take measures to protect the rights of the Harvard graduate, arrested "under ungrounded accusation."

Ms Clinton's answer, signed by Joseph McManus, the legal Undersecretary, runs that "reports about Gadjiev's inhuman treatment are causing great concern and were perceived with the utmost seriousness."

"Urgent actions have been taken to draw attention of the government of Azerbaijan to this issue," the "Turan" quotes the letter.