Advocates of Intigam Aliev could not meet their client in SIZO

On September 30, the advocates Anar Gasymly, Alaif Gasanov and Fariz Namazly were not admitted by the personnel of the SIZO (pre-trial prison) to Intigam Aliev, the head of the Legal Education Society. The lawyers said that investigators decided to attract them to Aliev's case as witnesses.

According to Anar Gasymly, at the SIZO they showed him an official document about his attraction as a witness; and the local prosecutor's office has confirmed this and said that in the coming days he would be summoned as a witness.

The lawyer treats this decision of the Investigating Department of Grave Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) as unjustified.

"I know Intigam Aliev; and I consider him to be my mentor and teacher; but I have nothing to do with this particular criminal case. It is all done with the aim to remove us, weaken the defence of Intigam Aliev and restrict his right to communicate with his advocates," said Anar Gasymly.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 8 Intigam Aliev was summoned to the above Investigating Department of Grave Crimes of the GPO of Azerbaijan as a witness in a criminal case initiated against a number of NGOs. On the same day he was detained as a suspect and accused of tax evasion, abuse of office and illegal entrepreneurship.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.