Baku: Hilal Mamedov challenges the court considering his case in open mode

Today, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, which is trying Hilal Mamedov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi Sado" (Voice of the Talysh), has began considering the defendant's charge of illegal possession and sale of drugs. The hearing was held in the open mode, unlike Mamedov's allegations of treason and inciting interethnic hatred, when the court sessions took place behind closed doors.

Hilal Mamedov was detained in Baku on June 21, 2012. He is accused of treason, inciting interethnic hatred and illegal possession of drugs. According to the investigation, five grams of heroin were found on the activist during detention and other 30 grams – during search of his apartment. The materials of the prosecution assert that in 1992 Mamedov was recruited by the Iranian secret service "Ettelat", and on the instruction of the latter was engaged in drug trafficking, using the earned money to support the "Talysh separatism".

Today, Mamedov told the court that his religious beliefs, the moral, social activities and education do not allow dealing with drugs. He also said that the court had violated his rights by rejecting all motions of his defence and the proofs presented by the defence.

The court session ended after Hilal Mamedov demanded disqualification of the entire court. The trial was adjourned until May 29.

Hilal Mamedov is the author of the video clip "Who are you? Come on, goodbye!" that has become very popular on the Internet. In the clip, Talyshes and Baku residents perform at the wedding party comic-satirical couplets in the genre of "Meyhana" to the accompaniment of Defa. According to Mamedov, his arrest is illegal and has to do right with the spread of the video clip, which caused irritation of the authorities, as it drew attention to the development of the Talysh culture.