Azerbaijan: prosecutor suggests conditional term for Mamedov, head of NGO "Promoting Democracy"

The trial of the head of the NGO "Promoting Democracy" Emil Mamedov has heard the final speeches of the prosecutor and the defence. The former asked the court to punish Mamedov and Tofig Gasymov, another member of the NGO, without putting them behind bars. Mamedov's advocates asked the court to acquit their client, while Gasymov's defence agreed with the prosecutor.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 14 the court arrested Mamedov for three months. Gasymov said that during the inquiry he slandered Mamedov under physical pressure. Mamedov denied the charges and said that the authorities of the Salyan District were behind his arrest.

"Contrary to expectations, the prosecutor asked soft punishments – he suggested sentencing both defendants to two years of conditional imprisonment with the adoption of the preventive measure of 'recognizance not to leave'. Very seldom prosecutors in cases concerning allegations of grave crimes move such proposals," said Fariz Namazly, Mamedov's advocate.

Earlier, Sanubar Mamedova, Emil's wife, said that the pressure on her husband began after in late 2013 he sent open letters to the country leadership about corruption and embezzlement of funds from the state budget by the district authorities. Azerbaijani rights defenders treat Mamedov as a political prisoner.