Court leaves PFPA activist Ruslan Nasirli in custody

The Azerbaijani Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal filed by Ruslan Nasirli, a member of the Youth Committee of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), who was sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest. At trial, the activist has claimed that the reasons for his arrest were far-fetched and that he was subjected to physical pressure by the police.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Ruslan Nasirli was arrested on August 2 in Baku. The PFPA associates the activist's detention with the fact that he created a Facebook group "Supreme Commander, answer to the people!" on the Internet, in which he called on people to protest against the actions of the military leaders, who allowed the victims in the Karabakh conflict zone.

Fakhraddin Mekhtiev, an advocate of Ruslan Nasirli, has reported on the appeal against the decision of the activist's arrest. The appeal was considered on August 15.

According to the advocate, the Court has failed to take into account the fact that Ruslan Nasirli was not allowed to be visited by advocate during a week after his arrest. Fakhraddin Mekhtiev does not rule out preparation of a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) about violation of the right to liberty and security of the person guaranteed by the European Convention.

The press service of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) denies that the arrest of Ruslan Nasirli was politically motivated. "Ruslan Nasirli was detained on the basis of complaints filed by individuals about his acts of hooliganism. Besides, he failed to surrender to the lawful demands of the police," said Ekhsan Zakhidov, the deputy head of the MIA's press service.