In Azerbaijan, Court of Appeal leaves theologian Talekh Bagirzade in custody

On May 13, the Baku Court of Appeal, chaired by Judge Abid Abdinbekov, considered the appeal filed by theologian Talekh Bagirzade against the refusal to grant the motion to change the pre-trial restriction measure in the form of detention in custody to home arrest. The Court dismissed the appeal filed by Talekh Bagirzade and left him in custody. The defence intends to file a complaint against, according to the defence's opinion, unlawful arrest to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

"The Court did not accept our arguments about absence of reasons for keeping Talekh Bagirzade in custody, given that the crime incriminated to him is not classified as dangerous for the society. On the other hand, Talekh Bagirzade is a religious figure well known in the community, and, for the sake of his reputation, he will not avoid investigators," Djavad Djavadly said in his interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Djavad Djavadly has also said that about 100 believers came to the courthouse to express their solidarity with Talekh Bagirzade and during several minutes they chanted the slogan "Freedom to Talekh Bagirzade!" The supporters of Talekh Bagirzade also stood at the courthouse till completion of the trial. The police watched for the situation and did not intervene.

Djavad Djavadly has reported said that the next step of defence will be filing of the motion to release Talekh Bagirzade on bail.

"At the same time, we will file a complaint against unlawful arrest to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). We have already all reasons for that. Our complaints about the arrest were not granted. The courts also dismissed the motions to replace arrest with house arrest. The complaint about unlawful detention of Talekh Bagirzade during 12 days at the Chief Department for Combating Organized Crime (GUBOP) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) also did not succeed. Moreover, the complaint about torture has been never considered by the courts," the advocate has emphasized.