2024-02-09 17:56:51
On January 17, the next trial of Elvin Mustafayev, a member of the Confederation of Workers’ Table Trade Unions, was held at the Baku Serious Crimes Court. Lawyer Zibeyda Sadighova told Voice of America that two police witnesses were interrogated in court:
“One of the operatives said that we stopped Elvin on Jafar Khandan Street, he was on his motorcycle, and allegedly they invited Elvin to Binagadi District Police Station. The police said that Elvin came to the office with his motorcycle, and we came with our car, and then they took us to the investigator’s room. He said that Elvin was immediately searched and allegedly found drugs on him.
According to Sadighova, another witness said that they stopped Elvin Mustafayev on Jafar Khandan street and then put him in a car.
“He said that we brought him to the Binagadi Police Station, then made him sit in an empty room, and soon after the investigator came. Allegedly, a search was conducted and drugs were found.”
The lawyer said that he does not consider the statements of the active witnesses to be true.
“Elvin said that he was not stopped on Jafar Khandan Street, he was stopped by 7-8 people near the “Garden Hall” restaurant around Rustam Rustamov Street and was taken into a BMW car. He says they drove around in a car for 30 minutes on Jafar Khandan Street, and someone was driving my motorcycle from behind. Later, they brought you to the office and told you that you should sign and admit to the drug charge, they lied that if you accept this charge, they will fine you and release you. They said that we will bring a woman and charge her with a more serious charge that you raped her. Elvin says he saw Article 234.1 in the document and signed it forcibly, saying there was no other way out. Then it turned out that they lied and the substance was documented with the sale of drugs,” said the lawyer.
The lawyer says that Elvin Mustafayev does not accept the accusation and considers himself innocent.
On August 7, Elvin Mustafayev was detained as a suspect under Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code (acquisition, transportation, storage of large quantities of drugs for the purpose of sale). He was sentenced to 4 months in prison.
On August 1st, the Confederation of Desk Trade Unions and the Courier Union Trade Union issued a statement regarding the newly enacted law. On the same day, a group of moped couriers protested against the police taking their vehicles to the penalty area. Elvin Mustafayev was one of the organizers of the action.
In the article against which Elvin Mustafayev is accused, the sentence of deprivation of liberty is provided from 5 to 12 years.
Aykhan Israfilov, a member of the Board of Directors of the Workers’ Table, was also arrested in August. On August 12, by the decision of the Narimanov District Court, he was sentenced to 4 months in prison.
Aykhan Israfilov is charged with Article 234.1.1 of the Criminal Code (Illegal acquisition, storage, preparation, processing, transportation of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in large quantities without the purpose of sale – when committed in large quantities).
Afieddin Mammadov, the Chairman of the Working Table, was arrested on September 20.
126.2.4 of the Mammadov Criminal Code (deliberately causing serious harm to health in a general dangerous manner with hooliganism), 221.3 (when hooliganism is committed by using objects used as weapons) and 228.4 (Illegal use of gas weapons, cold weapons, including acquiring, selling or carrying a cold weapon, except for the cases of carrying a cold weapon in the areas considered to be a national costume or in connection with the hunting profession).
If the charges are proven, Mammadov faces 6 to 11 years in prison.
Activists do not accept the charges and link their arrests to their activities.
Voice of America