Oppositionists accused of disturbing public order arrested in Azerbaijan

Today in the evening, the Sabail District Court of Baku have ruled to arrest the four oppositionists detained during the protest action on April 2 in the centre of the Azerbaijani capital.

The detainees were charged under Article 233 of the Criminal Code, which assumes liability "for organization of actions aimed at disturbing the public order and active participation therein."

The Sabail District Court has chosen the freedom restriction measure - a 2-month arrest - in relation to Arif Gadjily, head of the office of the "Musavat" Party; Tural Abbasly, head of the youth branch of the "Musavat"; and Mukhammed Medzhidli, head of the PR division of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA). In relation to Fuad Gakhramanly, Deputy Chairman of the PPFA, another measure was selected - "putting under control of the police"; and he was released in the courtroom, as reported by Yalchin Imanov, Mr Gakhramanly's lawyer.

Let us note here that the court considered the cases behind the closed doors. Relatives of the defendants, journalists and human rights defenders were not let to the sessions. Moreover, they were squeezed away from the courthouse; however, Kyamal Velishev, deputy head of the Sabail District Police Division, who commanded the police during the action, gave no explanation.

Asabali Mustafaev, Mr Medzhidli's advocate, has treated the actions of the court as illegal and said that the court decisions would be appealed against at the court of appeal.

Mr Mustafaev also said that on the eve in the Shamkir District of Azerbaijan the local court passed a one-month arrest ruling in relation to Shakhin Gasanli, head of the organizational division of the PFPA. According to the lawyer, Mr Gasanli was detained before the rally - on April 1 in Shamkir. The activist was taken away from his home and accused of illegal possession of ammunition.

"After Gasanli's detention, they planted 4 firearm cartridges wrapped in paper into his pocket," said the lawyer. He believes that the charges were fabricated. According to Mustafaev, the ruling against Gasanli will also be challenged.

According to the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber" (known as "GDDOP"), which organized the rally on April 2, other 25 persons were subjected to administrative arrests for the terms from 7 to 13 days. All in all, over 150 protesters were detained.

Earlier, the MIA and the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan had reported that during the meeting on April 2 in central Baku five persons were detained as suspects of committing criminal offences, while 70 more were punished administratively.

In his turn, Bilgi Dzhankorel, head of the OSCE Office in Baku, named the number of 174 detainees during the action with less than 1000 participants too high.

"In the course of the demonstration on April 2, in some cases, the police used excessive force. During and on the eve of the action they detained 174 persons; 70 of them were subsequently brought to administrative liability; and in respect of five of them criminal cases were initiated. The police also restricted the work of media people," said Mr Dzhankorel.

At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that the police had not interfered into unsanctioned actions of a group of youngsters against the leader of a political party. (The issue is in a series of actions of the pro-government youth on March 31-April 2, held in front of the building, where Ali Kerimli, leader of the PFPA, lives, - note of the "Caucasian Knot").