Agil Gumbatov's defence demands judge disqualification

The advocate of Agil Gumbatov, an activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has demanded to remove the judge, since Agil's relatives, journalists and human rights defenders were again not allowed to the court session. However, the court has rejected the adcvocate's motion. Gumbatov refused from his initial testimonies, claiming that he gave them under torture.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 11, Gumbatov was detained within the case of stabbing a resident of the village of Zira near Baku. His wife, Aigyun Gumbatova, is sure that he was forced to sign a confession. He faces 12 years in prison.

"My husband was not only arrested illegally; they want to isolate him from society so that journalists and members of the public would not hear his statements," the wife asserts.

"Agil Gumbatov has stated that he was arrested for his activeness on the Facebook – his criticism of the country's leadership for the latter's absence of care for children, and non-payment of benefits to parents ... He has video appeals to Ilham Aliev (the head of Azerbaijan) with a demand to establish child benefits," his advocate has added.

Zafar Akhmedov, member of the NGO "Defence Line", is outraged by the ban imposed on journalists and human rights defenders to be present at court sessions. "This case requires special public scrutiny. This man was once put in a psychiatric clinic; and now he claims that he confessed under torture and threats of pressure on his family members," Mr Akhmedov has added.