On May 5, the trial on the case of the chairman of Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) Anar Mammadli, EMDS executive director Bashir Suleymanli and head of a partner NGO, Elnur Mammadli continued with victim testimonies in Baku Court on Grave Crimes.
Etiram Muradov, regarded as a victim by the investigation, noted in his testimony that he participated in the projects of EMDS from 2007 till 2010, as the coordinator in the regions of Tartar, Barda, Yevlakh, and Mingachevir. He further added he did not have any claims against the defendants. In response to the questions of trial participants, he stated that in return for his work he received the amount indicated in the documents he had signed.
Then another alleged victim, Hasan Hasanov testified. He took part in the 2013 presidential election monitoring projects. He said he signed a receipt for 456 manat, but was only given 100 manat. To the question if he appealed to the court due to the violation of his rights his answer was “no”.
It turned out over his questioning that Hasan Hasanov had not submitted his high school diploma to these organizations and in the middle of September, 2013 he was dismissed from the project, as he could not manage his work.
The process will continue on May 6, at 10:30.
Anar Mammadli, head of the NGO EMDS, was detained on 16 December 2013, on charges of running business without registration, tax evasion and abuse of office by influencing election results. He was sent to pretrial detention straight away, while the two other accused, EMDS executive director Bashir Suleymanli and Volunteers International Cooperation public union director Elnur Mammadov were prohibited to leave Baku until trial. On March 19, the accused faced additional charges of service forgery and appropriation of property.
Amnesty International has recognized Mammadli as a prisoner of conscience. Numerous local and international rights groups have called for his release.