Azerbaijani "Musavat" activist Eyubzade sentenced to two years of imprisonment

Today, in Azerbaijan, a verdict was announced to Orkhan Eyubzade, a 19-year-old activist of the "Musavat" Party, charged with resisting the police with the use of violence.

Orkhan Eyubzade was among the five protesters against the conviction of activists of the "Nida" Movement, who on May 6 were sentenced to administrative arrests for 15-20 days on charges of disobeying the police. Upon expiration of his arrest, on May 26, Eyubzade was not released, but was charged again – with resisting the police (Article 315.1 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code) when he was kept at the Binagadin SIZO (pre-trial prison).

The October 15 court session listened to the last plea of the lawyer Asabali Mustafaev and Orkhan Eyubzade.

"The defence argued that the charge against Eyubzade of a violent resisting the police was absurd. How could a 19-year-old thin young man, kept at the SIZO, use force against the police? Moreover, the witnesses, who were kept there with Orkhan, confirmed that the young man himself was exposed to pressure," Asabali Mustafaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

After his speech at the trial and after a short break the verdict was announced; and the court sentenced Eyubzade to two years of imprisonment.

The defence did not agree with the verdict, has treated it as politically motivated, and intends to appeal against it.

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