Advocates criticize Azerbaijani authorities for sentencing PFPA activists

The verdict in the case on financing the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) is not justified and unfair, and therefore, it will be challenged, advocates of the sentenced activists announce.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the law enforcement bodies accused of money laundering Agil Magerramov, a member of the PFPA's Presidium, Ruslan Nasirli, the chairman of the PFPA's youth committee majlis (assembly), and Babek Gasanov, the head of the district PFPA's unit, as well as Russian citizen Salekh Rustamov and Vidadi Rustamli, detained on May 9 and 10, 2018. On February 27, the court sentenced them to various terms of imprisonment.

The court's verdict will be challenged, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been told by Djavad Djavadov, an advocate of Babek Gasanov.

"It is an absolutely unfair and illegal verdict, which did not reflect the content of the judicial investigation. This case can be attributed to complex cases," said advocate Djavad Djavadov.

Agil Laidjev, a defender of Agil Magerramov, has also expressed his disagreement with the verdict.

"The court failed to prove the defendants' guilt. Meanwhile, many defence motions were dismissed. The court did not investigate the defendants' complaints about torture and did not question additional witnesses, although the defence had requested such questioning," said Agil Laidjev to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The advocate has announced his intention to challenge the verdict.

Advocates of Salekh Rustamov, Vidadi Rustamli, and Ruslan Nasirli have also stated they will challenge the verdict.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 28, 2019 at 01:08 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.