Mirkadirov temporarily released from custody because of his father's death

In Azerbaijan, on May 24, the detained journalist Rauf Mirkadirov could attend the funeral of his father. He was given this opportunity after petition of his advocate. The journalist will be at home for at least three days.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the father of Rauf Mirkadirov, an observer of the Russian-language newspaper "Zerkalo" (Mirror), died at night on Saturday after on May 23 law enforcers conducted a search in the apartment of the journalist's parents.

Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), said that together with Djamil Gasanli, Chairman of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF), and Mekhman Aliev, Director of the "Turan" News Agency, she sent an appeal to the Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov asking to change Rauf Mirkadirov's freedom restraint measure and release him from custody.

Let us note here that in Azerbaijan in recent years there were cases, when arrested journalists and activists were released from custody to attend their relatives' funerals. However, never before there were cases of temporal release of the persons, treated by local rights defenders as political prisoners, those kept in SIZO (pre-trial prison) under investigation, moreover, accused of such grave crime as treason by means of espionage.

Commenting on this fact, Mekhman Aliev called it a "positive step." However, he noted that "this is also an indication that investigators have no serious evidence against Rauf Mirkadirov and lack confidence of his guilt."