Arrest of Afghan Mukhtarly extended until December 19

Today, the Nasimi District Court of Baku has considered the defence motion on changing the pre-trial restriction measure and transfer of Afghan Mukhtarly under house arrest. This has been told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by advocate Zibeida Sadygova.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Afghan Mukhtarly, who left for Georgia in 2014, disappeared in Tbilisi on May 29. On May 30, he phoned his advocate and reported that he had been forcibly brought to Baku. On May 31, in Baku, the court arrested Afghan Mukhtarly for three months. The journalist was charged with violating the state border, smuggling and resisting a border guard. Afghan Mukhtarly denies the charges filed against him.

"We believe there are no grounds for keeping Afghan Mukhtarly in custody, since no investigative actions are being taken. On the other hand, we filed a motion to release the journalist on humanitarian grounds. He suffers from acute diabetes mellitus, and he got heart troubles which began in the SIZO (pre-trial prison)," Zibeida Sadygova said.

However, the Court has dismissed the motion. Today, the Court has also considered a request filed by the Investigating Department of the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan on extension of the pre-trial restriction measure in the form of arrest until December 29.

"We have again requested to continue the investigation without keeping the journalist in custody. Afghan Mukhtarly himself has said he does not intend to flee the country or evade the investigation," said the advocate.

According to her, the Court has partially granted the investigators' request and extended the journalist's arrest until December 19. The advocate has voiced the intention to challenge both Court's decisions at the Court of Appeal.

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