Advocate not admitted to Afghan Mukhtarly and Gezyal Bairamly

Advocate Elchin Sadygov has stated that the administration of the Baku SIZO-1 (pre-trial prison) has refused him in visiting journalist Afghan Mukhtarly and oppositionist Gezyal Bairamly. Elchin Sadygov fears that his clients may be subjected to unlawful actions.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 25, Gezyal Bairamly, the deputy chair of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), was detained on the border. She was accused of smuggling. On May 30, it became known that oppositionist journalist Afghan Mukhtarly, who had disappeared in Tbilisi, was brought to Baku. He is also arrested.

"Officials from the SIZO administration have stated that they did not get any official letters from the investigators confirming that I am the defender of Gezyal Bairamly and Afghan Mukhtarly. Firstly, this is an unlawful requirement, since a warrant is enough for visiting prisoners. And secondly, in judgments and other documents, I am mentioned as an advocate of Gezyal Bairamly and Afghan Mukhtarly," noted Elchin Sadygov.

According to him, the refusal to the defender in visiting his clients may be related to the violation of the rights of the arrested persons or other unlawful actions.

The advocate has announced his intention to appeal to senior officials of the Penitentiary Service and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) of Azerbaijan.

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