13:52, 18 July 2013

Baku court leaves "Nida" activist Zaur Gurbanly in custody

The Nasimi District Court of Baku has rejected the motion lodged by the defence of Zaur Gurbanly, an activist of the civil movement "Nida" and a blogger, asking to put him under home arrest instead of custody.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Zaur Gurbanly is one of the activists of the "Nida", arrested in March and April on charges of illegal possession of explosives and narcotic drugs. He was placed under arrest for three months; then, the court extended his detention for three months more. His advocate and family had earlier expressed their concern about the health of the young man, whose chronic disease aggravated dramatically in jail.

On July 17, the Nasimi District Court dismissed the above advocate's motion "almost without any consideration," the lawyer Khalid Bagirov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "We believe that there are no grounds to keep Zaur Gurbanly behind bars," he said.

Bagirov said that he "was preparing a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on Gurbanly's illegal arrest." "But in the complaint will also raise the issue of inhumane treatment. Indeed, by not providing the due medical care, they condemn the inmate to sufferings," said the lawyer.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent