Azerbaijani oppositionists tell about torture

Agil Magerramov, Ruslan Nasirli and Salekh Rustamov told at the trial, where the case of illegal financing of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) is considered, about torture and refused from their confessions. The Prosecutor's Office took no action to check their complaints of torture, the oppositionists' advocates have reported.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Agil Magerramov, a Presidium Member of the PFPA, Ruslan Nasirli, the chairman of the Majlis of the Youth Committee of the PFPA, and Babek Gasanov, the head of the PFPA regional organization, as well as a Russian citizen, Salekh Rustamov, and Vidadi Rustamli were accused of money laundering. On January 8, the defence stated that the defendants were tortured.

Agil Magerramov said that he was beaten up and tortured with electric current in the presence of an appointed lawyer. As a result, he testified that he had received money from Vidadi Rustamli and handed it over to Ali Kerimli.

"There were such cries heard from neighbouring rooms, if people were tortured by the medieval inquisition," Ruslan Nasirli, who was detained on May 25, 2018, has added. Under the threat of torture, he testified that he had been transferring money to Ali Kerimli.

Javad Javadov, the advocate of Babek Gasanov, has noted that in June 2018, he filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office about his client's torture, but the office refused to open a criminal case.

Elshan Gasanov, the coordinator of the Union "For the Freedom of Political Prisoners", said that in his long-lasting practice, he does not remember a case of investigating torture, punishment of those guilty and, all the more, justifying the accused, who had been exposed to inhuman treatment.

“It is possible to prove torture only after it is recognized by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)," Mr Gasanov has stated.