Abdullaev: IPA has no intention to establish Sharia state

On August 17, at the trial of activists of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (IPA), the defendants went on evidencing and categorically rejected any accusations of an attempt to forcibly overthrow the power.

As previously reported by the "Caucasian Knot", the defendants were arrested in January this year and accused of creating an organized criminal grouping, preparing a crime with use of firearms or other weapons, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and an attempt of violent overthrow of the existing power. All the defendants have declared that the accusations had been fabricated.

At the court session advocates Neimat Aliev and Sadig Bagirov petitioned about immediate release of their clients from custody because of expiration of the term of their freedom restriction – the arrest. However, the judge dismissed their petitions.

Then, Vagif Abdullaev, Deputy Chairman of the IPA, stated his innocence and falsification of charges. He noted that on January 7, when he and his party comrades travelled in a car, they were stopped by the police. "The driver presented his documents; but suddenly they began shouting that we failed to obey the police and detained us. At first we were sentenced to administrative arrest. Later they presented criminal charges, suspecting that we had allegedly purchased weapons and prepared terror acts against adherents of some religious movement. However, during the first 8 months of our detention we were not even properly interrogated," said Abdullaev.

Speaking about the funding sources of the IPA, he noted that the party operates "through membership fees and donations from sympathizers."
He answered negatively to the question about the alleged plans of the IPA to build a Sharia state (based on the Islamic law) in Azerbaijan: "We only stood against the ban on hijabs in schools and urged the authorities to respect citizens' constitutional right to the freedom of religion."

"What sort of terrorist am I?! I am a sick old man, who twice suffered a heart attack," Mr Abdullaev said in conclusion.