Azerbaijan: Ilkin Rustamzade's arrest extended by two months

The Nasimi District Court of Baku has extended by two months the arrest of Ilkin Rustamzade, a member of the civil movement "Free Youth", charged with disorderly conduct. Under the ruling, the young man will stay behind bars till November 17. The defendant and his advocate have stated their disagreement with the ruling and intend to appeal against it, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Let us remind you that on May 17 Ilkin Rustamzade was arrested for two months as a suspect of organizing a dance flash mob Harlem Shake and placement of the respective video on the YouTube.

Nemat Kerimli, Rustamzade's advocate, told the "Caucasian Knot" that during the court session investigators failed to present any reasonable arguments in favour of the need to keep his client in custody.

The young man reiterated the political motives of his prosecution caused by his participation in organizing youth anti-government actions through the Facebook.

"Moreover, Rustamzade told the court that on the eve he was brought, under the pretext that he was called by the SIZO (pre-trial prison), to the dungeon. There, he was beaten with iron rods and not given water to drink until morning," said the lawyer.

The Amnesty International (AI) has announced Rustamzade "a prisoner of conscience", which was confirmed in the AI's statement released on August 8 under the title "Azerbaijan starts its presidential campaign with 14 'prisoners of conscience'".