18:26, 17 June 2014

Complaint against verdict to Abdul Abilov lodged in Azerbaijan

The defence of Abdul Abilov, the founder of the group "Let's stop toadies!" on the Facebook, sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for illegal drug dealing, has appealed against the verdict.

According to the Law of Criminal Procedure, an appeal is submitted to the first instance court; therefore, the complaint has been lodged to the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, said Khalid Bagirov, Abilov's advocate. Further, the criminal case files will be sent to Baku Court of Appeal (BCA). As suggested by the advocate, a preliminary hearing at the BCA will be held not earlier than mid-July. The defence intends to achieve Abilov's acquittal.

According to Bagirov, investigators, while imputing Abilov with the "heavy" part of Article 234 – illegal use and sale of narcotic drugs, had not even bothered to look for his potential buyers.

Let us note here that the defendant stated, in his last plea at the trial, that he was persecuted for political reasons for his criticism and derision of toadying officials on the Internet.

Earlier, Abilov's sentencing was condemned by the human rights organization "Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety" (IRFS).

See earlier reports: "Baku court sentences founder of "Stop toadies!" Facebook group to 5.5 years in prison", "Baku prosecutor demands 6.5 years in prison for creator of Facebook group "Stop toadies!", "AI declares Azerbaijani convicts Alibeili and Agaaddin "prisoners of conscience"".