In Azerbaijan, Court refuses to change freedom restriction measure to Nigyar Yagublu

Today, in Azerbaijan, the Sumgait Court of Appeal chaired by Judge Mubariz Akhmedov began the consideration on the merits of the appeal filed by Nigyar Yagublu, a 24-year-old activist of the youth organization of the "Musavat" Party. The defence filed a motion to change the restriction measure to the defendant from custody to home arrest; however, the Judge dismissed the motion.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Nigyar Yagublu was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment in the case of the road traffic accident, resulting in the death of Aidyn Adjalov, a member of the "Musavat" Party.

"We believe that in the course of the investigation, a number of rights of the defendant guaranteed by the Constitution of Azerbaijan and the European Convention on Human Rights were violated. Thus, her right to freedom was violated, since the pre-trial restriction measure in the form of arrest was unreasonably pronounced for the period of the investigation, despite the fact that public figures and even some MPs pleaded to release her on bail," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was explained by Nemat Kerimli, the advocate of Nigyar Yagublu.

However, the prosecutors insist on upholding the verdict. They motivate their position by the fact that Nigyar Yagublu initially did not confess that at the time of the road traffic accident she was driving the car, and, besides, she had no driver's license.