Rights defender Intigam Aliev refuses to testify in protest against dismissal of defence's motions by judge

Azerbaijani human rights defender Intigam Aliev, accused of illegal entrepreneurship and embezzlement, has refused to testify at trial prior to victims and witnesses for the prosecution. Thus, he has expressed his protest against the dismissal of a number of defence's motions by the judge. Intigam Aliev has also claimed violation of his rights at SIZO (pre-trial prison) and inhuman treatment of him when he was brought to the court.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Intigam Aliev, the head of the NGO "Legal Education Society", was detained on August 8 and accused of tax evasion, abuse of office and illegal entrepreneurship.

According to the human rights defender, on February 3, when he was being taken to the court in a paddy wagon, he was placed in a special compartment for dangerous and violent criminals.

"It's a narrow place with no light and air. It's something like a coffin. It was impossible to breathe there. And that negatively affected my health. It's inhuman treatment. Not only me, but no one can be transported like that. This is an affront to human dignity. Even animals cannot be transported in such a state," Intigam Aliev has said.

Advocate Elchin Sadygov has commented to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on the outcome of the court session of February 3, and he has expressed his regret about the fact that most of defence's motions were dismissed.

"The court puts the defence at a disadvantage towards the prosecution. Investigators have seized all the documents, and we cannot collect evidence. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) refuses to give us an extract from the grant registration register. The court might have ordered the MoJ to do that; however, our motion wasn’t granted," Elchin Sadygov has said.

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