Azerbaijan: at trial of editor-in-chief of "Tolyshi Sado" investigator Kerimov testifies

At the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, at the trial of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi Sado" (Voice of the Talysh), investigator Djeikhun Kerimov from the Nizami District Police of Baku, said that he had the right to appoint a search of the defendant's rented apartment.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Hilal Mamedov was detained in Baku on June 21, 2012. He is accused of treason, inciting ethnic hatred and illegal possession of drugs, but he denies any wrongdoing. On August 7, the court granted the motion of the defence to summon investigator Djeikhun Kerimov, who ran Mamedov's case as a witness. According to the defence, Kerimov had made a procedural violation and exceeded his powers by personally authorizing a search of Mamedov's rented apartment for no good reason.

At the court session on August 14, Kerimov explained the search that he had appointed in a rented apartment, owned by another person, by an "urgent need", because he suspected that a huge amount of drugs was stored there.

The judge scheduled the next session for August 21.

In the opinion of the Mamedov's advocate, the judicial investigation is nearing its completion. "In all likelihood, the witness at the search Ulfat Abbasov will not be questioned. The other witness at the search died. The court will most likely just read out their testimonies given at the preliminary investigation," the lawyer told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.