Azerbaijan: oppositionist Gakhramanly to stand trial together with religious activists

The preliminary investigation of the case initiated against Talekh Bagirzade, the leader of the "Muslim Unity" Movement, and his supporters, accused of committing serious crimes, is over. They will appear before the court together with Fuad Gakhramanly, Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). His advocates state the groundlessness of combining his case into one proceeding with the case of the "Muslim Unity".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Fuad Gakhramanly was detained on December 8, 2015, and accused of inciting residents of the settlement of Nardaran to religious extremism. In May, he was charged with inciting to unrests in Azerbaijan.

Talekh Bagirzade is charged, inter alia, of intentional murder and terrorism.

The advocate Elchin Sadygov said that the evidence against Bagirzade had been fabricated; and the pressure was exerted on witnesses. Besides, as he said, Bagirzade was severely tortured during detention.

Along with Bagirzade, his deputy Abbas Guseinov will face the trial, said Fariz Namazly, the latter's advocate.

According to his story, in connection with the complaints of torture, prosecutors took testimony from Guseinov, "but the investigation gave no results."

Gezyal Bairamly, Deputy Chairman of the PFPA, said that placing Gakhramanly into the same grouping with the leaders of "Muslim Unity" Movement is aimed at "discrediting the party in the eyes of the international democratic community."

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