Bakhtiyar Gadjiev in Azerbaijan was granted conditional early release

Today hearings on blogger Bakhtiyar Gadjiev’s cassational appeal against denial of conditional early release (CER) were held in the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan under the chairmanship of judge Ali Seifaliev. The Supreme Court granted Gadjiev’s appeal bringing a verdict of CER. The judge decided that the verdict should to executed immediately.

Bakhtiyar Gadjiev was arrested on March, 4, 2011. Upon the verdict of Nizami district court he was sentenced to two years of custody for accusation of draft dodging. Later the Appellate Court and the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan brought standing judgments on the verdict. Gadjiev rejects this accusation considering it unlawful and politically motivated.

On serving one third of his penalty term the activist appealed to court for conditional early release. On December, 29, 2011, his motion was dismissed by Garadag circuit court in penal colony No 14. On February, 27, the Appellate Court of Baku brought a standing judgment. On March, 29, Garadag district court of Baku dismissed Bakhtiyar Gadjiev’s motion of CER again, even though he had served half of his penalty term. On May, 21, the Appellate Court of Baku left Gadjiev in prison once more.

During today’s session of the Supreme Court Gadjiev’s attorney Gabib Aliev declared that there were no reasons to dismiss the activist’s motion of CER. According to him, during the whole penalty term there were no disciplinable actions against him, besides, he had already served over two thirds of the term.

Public Prosecutor Mustajab Aliev had no objections to Gadjiev’s conditional early release.

According to the verdict, within nine remaining months till the end of the penalty term Gadjiev was prohibited exit from Azerbaijan. Nizami district court of Giyanja was commissioned with control of execution of the remaining part of the penalty term. Each Gadjiev’s motion inside the country must be endorsed by Nizami district court of Giyanja.

Gadjiev himself was absent at the trial on his appeal. His brother Vugar Gadjiev expressed satisfaction with the verdict. “We are glad. But it is not an absolute gladness. We will be completely happy when all the “prisoners of conscience” are released”, Vugar Gadjiev said.