Today, the Sumgayit City Court heard the procedural appeal filed by jailed Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP) youth member Jabbar Savalanli with regard to the procedural violations at the time of his arrest.
The Court did not grant the appeal. Thus it failed to abide by Article 5 of European Convention on Human Rights –the right for immunity, Lawyer Anar Gasimov told IRFS.
Members of the APFP Youth Committee, journalists were removed from the front of court building. The police blocked the roads to the court area and guarded the protected Sumgayit Court building. The youth were also removed from the area by police and plain clothed persons. Then four people – APFP Youth Committee Chairman Abulfaz Gurbanli, activists Deyanet Babayev, Elturan Rustamli and Aydin Aliyev were detained.
Members of the APFP Youth Committee, journalists were removed from the front of court building. The police blocked the roads to the court area and guarded the protected Sumgayit Court building. The youth were also removed from the area by police and plain clothed persons. Then four people – APFP Youth Committee Chairman Abulfaz Gurbanli, activists Deyanet Babayev, Elturan Rustamli and Aydin Aliyev were detained.
BACKGROUND
Jabbar Savalanli was arrested on February 5, in front of his apartment building. He has been charged with possession of narcotics, which implies an imprisonment up to 3 years. Police claim 0.17 gr opium was found on him.
His supporters believe that Savalanli had been arrested because of his involvement with protests against a police clampdown during an opposition protest on January 20th at the Martyr’s Lane. Savalanli had also posted critical articles onto Facebook.
Azerbaijan has earlier seen the arrest of the dissidents under trumped up narcotics charge as well; Azadlig editor-in-chief Ganimat Zahid and journalist Eynulla Fatullayev have been victims of these charges, with Fatullayev still in prison.