Azerbaijani oppositionist Pyunkhan Kerimli challenges his verdict

After his deportation from Germany, oppositionist Pyunkhan Kerimli, sentenced in Azerbaijan to six years of imprisonment, filed an appeal against the verdict in a case on drug possession, a father of the activist has reported.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in January, Pyunkhan Kerimli, a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), was arrested on the charge of drug trafficking. The defence stated that there was no reliable evidence of the Pyunkhan Kerimli’s guilt and requested a court to acquit the activist. However, on July 27, the court sentenced Pyunkhan Kerimli to six years of imprisonment.

Pyunkhan Kerimli filed an appeal against the verdict in his case, and its consideration will take place in September, activist’s father Vakhid Kerimov reported. He believes that his son is being persecuted for political reasons. “My son did not even testify in the case. He was forced to sign some text under torture,” said Vakhid Kerimov as quoted by the “Turan” agency today.

Let us remind you that in addition to Pyunkhan Kerimli, three more activists – Djafar Mirzoev, Malik Rzaev, and Mutallim Orudjev – deported from Germany and returned to Azerbaijan in the autumn of 2021, were arrested on the charges of drug trafficking. Another activist, Samir Ashurov, who was also among 38 Azerbaijani citizens returned from Germany under a readmission agreement, was detained in Baku on April 19 and arrested on the charge of attacking a person with a knife. Human rights defenders and a spouse of Samir Ashurov called his case political persecution.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 12, 2022 at 01:36 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.