Human rights defender Rufat Safarov complains about arbitrariness of law enforcer

Azerbaijani human rights defender Rufat Safarov was not allowed to attend the trial in a case against Ali Aliev, the leader of the “Citizens and Development” Party. Rufat Safarov had a quarrel with law enforcers in a yard of the Baku court, as he tried to argue against the refusal in access to the court building. The law enforcers detained the human rights defender, using force against him.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Ali Aliev, the chair of the opposition “Citizens and Development” Party in Azerbaijan, was brought to trial on the charge of defamation. The lawsuits were filed by two border guards who survived a helicopter crash on November 30, 2021. On January 13, the court sentenced Ali Aliev to five months of imprisonment. Politicians and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan, as well as international institutions, called the case against Ali Aliev a “political order” and demanded to release the oppositionist.

Rufat Safarov, the executive director of the NGO “Line of Protection”, said the police unexpectedly announced that the trial would be held behind closed doors for journalists and human rights defenders, allegedly by a judge’s decision due to restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

“Rufat Safarov was detained when he was explaining to the law enforcers the illegality of restricting access to the open court. Several people attacked him and violently used force against him,” said journalist Fatima Movlamly.

Advocate Djavad Djavadov considered the non-admission of journalists to the trial “a violation of the principle of openness of the court.” According to the advocate, Ali Aliev refused to testify in protest against the illegality of his persecution.