Baku court announces verdict in PFPA case

On February 27, the three defendants in the case of funding sources for the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 years to 7 years and 3 months. Two other defendants received conditional terms.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that three PFPA members – Agil Magerramov, Ruslan Nasirli, Babek Gasanov, and also a Russian citizen, Salekh Rustamov, and his nephew, Vidadi Rustamli – were accused of money laundering. Besides, Rustamov and Rustamli are charged with large-scale illegal drug dealing. Their defence has stated that the defendants were tortured; and they refused to plead guilty.

On February 27, at the trial in the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, after the final speeches of advocates and the defendants, who asked for an acquittal, the verdict was read out.

The court has sentenced Salekh Rustamov to 7 years and 3 months of imprisonment, Agil Magerramov, a member of the PFPA Presidium – to 4 years, and Babek Gasanov, the head of the PFPA Narimanov district branch, – to 3 years of imprisonment.

Vidadi Rustamli, a Rustamov's nephew, and Ruslan Nasirli, the head of the Majlis of the PFPA's youth committee, were sentenced to six years and eight months of conditional imprisonment each with a three-year probation period.

The PFPA believes that all the convicts are prosecuted for political reasons. Local human rights organizations consider them as political prisoners.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 27, 2019 at 07:50 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.