Today, 17 July, in the Baku Appellate Court, hearings were held on the appeals against Sabail District Court’s decision to sentence “Alumni Network” Youth Organization Coordinator, ANTV Online TV Leader Emin Milli and one of “OL” Youth Organization’s coordinators, well-known video-blogger Adnan Hajizade to pre-trial detention.
The same decision was adopted during the hearing held on Emin Milli’s appeal. “The motion I put forth in connection with Emin Milli’s participation in the hearing was fulfilled, and Judge Jamal Ramazanov scheduled the hearing for 20 July at 2:30 p.m.,” defense lawyer Elton Guliyev told this to IRFS.
Journalists and monitors were not allowed in the court because both hearings were held closed.
On 8 July, at approximately 8:00 p.m., Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade were sitting at a table in “Lebonese” (Livan) restaurant along with several other young adults, when two people that looked like sportsmen came up to them, and attacked them causing physical injuries. Although they appealed to police as victims, police detained Adnan and Emin as suspected persons for 48 hours and freed the attackers. On 10 July, Sabail District Court Judge Rauf Ahmadov issued a decision under article 221.2.1 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code to sentence Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade to two months pre-trial detention. Both Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizade are being held in the Investigative Prison of Baku.