Court of Appeal leaves rights defender Vidadi Iskenderov in custody

On Tuesday, May 10, the Baku Court of Appeal (BCA) considered the appeal complaint lodged by rights defender Vidadi Iskenderov head of the NGO named "Assistance to Defence of Democracy", who challenged the legality of the decision of Nizami District Court of May 2 about his 2-month-long arrest. The judge left the appeal complaint without satisfaction.

Mr Iskenderov himself was present at the consideration, as his advocate Akif Alizade told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. According to the advocate, Iskenderov stated "the unjustified nature both of the prosecution and his detention" and said he was not going to hide from the inquiry. Iskenderov also pointed to the far-fetched accusations and the political character of his case.

The advocate has also petitioned to replace custody by home arrest, but the judge has dismissed this petition. "This case was completely fabricated. Iskenderov had personally presented proofs of election falsification. In order to silence him they opened a criminal case against him," said Alizade.

He also drew attention to the fact that the criminal case was opened on November 17, 2010, and until May 2011 no investigatory actions were conducted. "In fact, the case was suspended; and it was resumed only after Iskenderov continued his energetic rights advocacy work, and also took part in the rallies of the opposition in March-April," said lawyer Alizade.

Bashir Suleimanov, executive director of the well-known NGO "Centre for Election Monitoring and Training Democracy", also believes that there is "a political motive" in Iskenderov's case. "Our organization was monitoring the elections in most constituencies. Violations were fixed throughout the country. But somehow those who perpetrated these violations - members of election commission, servants at municipalities and executive bodies - nobody was brought to justice. However, now they sue the rights defender, who denounced falsifications," said Suleimanov.