16:26, 29 October 2019

Azerbaijani oppositionist denies disorderly conduct charges

Seimour Khazi. Photo by Aziz Kerimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

Seimour Khazi, the deputy chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), claims the charges of disorderly conduct and of failure to obey to the police brought against him are false. He associates his arrest with his participation in the preparation of an opposition rally.

Seimour Khazi was detained together with other activists on the eve of the rally in Baku. Gezyal Bairamly, the PFPA's deputy chair, reported that on October 17, Seimour Khazi was sentenced to 15 days of arrest.

"The police claimed that I was allegedly talking loudly on a mobile phone and using bad language, and when they called me to order, I did not obey," said Seimour Khazi.

In January 2015, Seimour Khazi, an observer of the opposition newspaper "Azadlig" (Liberty), was sentenced to five years of imprisonment on the charge of beating a stranger. On August 28, Seimour Khazi was released.

"Several days before the rally, they organized a hunt for activists of our party ... But the people still took to the streets and expressed their protest against injustice and corruption," Seimour Khazi added.

Nigyar Khazi, a spouse of the arrested PFPA's deputy chairman, an activist of the "Musavat" Party, announced the intention to challenge her husband's arrest at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

"Despite the arrest, Seimour still has his courage and intends to continue the fight," Nigyar Khazi said.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 29, 2019 at 00:07 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent