Ex-Deputies of Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet demand to release their colleague

A group of former members of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan held a press conference in the Baku Media Centre and demanded the release from custody of Arif Gadjily, their former colleague, the current head of the central office of the "Musavat" Party, whose case was sent to the court today.

Arif Gadjily, together with 14 other opposition activists, was arrested during the unsanctioned rally of the civil movement for democracy "The Public Chamber" on April 2 in the centre of the Azerbaijani capital.

According to the lawyer Vagif Gadjibeili, the investigation into Mr Gadjily's case was completed. "Today, the case was brought to the Sabail District Court, a preparatory session will be held next week," the lawyer said.

"Arif Gadjily was one of those people who together with us opposed the referendum on the preservation of the USSR. He was also an active supporter of the independence of Azerbaijan in autumn 1991, while the communist government of the republic hesitated. Thus, to keep in prison the person who made a contribution to the Azerbaijan's independence is unfair," said Panakh Gusein, ex-deputy of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan and a current member of the Coordinating Council of the civil movement for democracy "The Public Chamber".

Isa Gambar, the leader of the "Musavat" Party called the "great shame" to keep in prison a man, who made a contribution to the country's sovereignty, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence. "It discredits Azerbaijan in the eyes of the international democratic community," he said.

The MP Sabir Rustamkhanly, the head of the Civil Solidarity Party, said that he earlier applied to the Prosecutor's Office asking to release Arif Gadjily on bail. However, according to his story, this appeal "had been unreasonably dismissed".