Appeal of Rauf Mirkadirov, a columnist of “Mirror” newspaper, was considered in the Baku Court of Appeal on 17 June, chaired by the judge Jamal Ramazanov. Complaint was filed against the decision of the Nasimi District Court, which dismissed the complaint on the journalist investigator’s refusal to allow him a notary.
According to a lawyer Elmar Suleymanov, defense rejected the makeup of the Baku Court of Appeal because just these judges did not satisfy the complaint of Mirkadirov of unlawful arrest, allowing gross procedural violations. However, the rejection was not accepted.
Then lawyers rejected the prosecutor Vasif Kerimov, and insisted on participating the procurator in charge of supervision, i.e., First Deputy Prosecutor General, Rustam Usubov.
However, protection was said that prosecutor office can send any prosecutor.
Then the investigator Lemberansky defended his decision to ban admission of notary to Mirkadirov.
Mirkadyrov himself said that the prosecutor’s decision, depriving him of the right to appeal to the court in Turkey indicates pressure on prosecutor’s office and the court in Azerbaijan.
This decision is detrimental to the image of Azerbaijan as depriving a citizen of such a right to go to court is an unprecedented case in the space of CE in the last 10-15 years. Nevertheless, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the trial court which upheld the ban on admission of the notary to journalist.
Now the defense will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
* During detention of Rauf Mirkadirov in Turkey, his rights were violated; to hire a lawyer to protect his interests a written appeal is required. However, the authorities do not allow the journalist to process notary attorney to hire Turkish lawyers.
Appeal of Rauf Mirkadirov, a columnist of “Mirror” newspaper, was considered in the Baku Court of Appeal on 17 June, chaired by the judge Jamal Ramazanov. Complaint was filed against the decision of the Nasimi District Court, which dismissed the complaint on the journalist investigator’s refusal to allow him a notary.
According to a lawyer Elmar Suleymanov, defense rejected the makeup of the Baku Court of Appeal because just these judges did not satisfy the complaint of Mirkadirov of unlawful arrest, allowing gross procedural violations. However, the rejection was not accepted.
Then lawyers rejected the prosecutor Vasif Kerimov, and insisted on participating the procurator in charge of supervision, i.e., First Deputy Prosecutor General, Rustam Usubov.
However, protection was said that prosecutor office can send any prosecutor.
Then the investigator Lemberansky defended his decision to ban admission of notary to Mirkadirov.
Mirkadyrov himself said that the prosecutor’s decision, depriving him of the right to appeal to the court in Turkey indicates pressure on prosecutor’s office and the court in Azerbaijan.
This decision is detrimental to the image of Azerbaijan as depriving a citizen of such a right to go to court is an unprecedented case in the space of CE in the last 10-15 years. Nevertheless, the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the trial court which upheld the ban on admission of the notary to journalist.
Now the defense will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
* During detention of Rauf Mirkadirov in Turkey, his rights were violated; to hire a lawyer to protect his interests a written appeal is required. However, the authorities do not allow the journalist to process notary attorney to hire Turkish lawyers.