On April 7, Baku Appeal Court denied an appeal filed by the head of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS), Anar Mammadli against the Nasimi district court decision denying his request to replace his pre-trial detention with house arrest.
Meantime, the case file materials of Anar Mammadli, EMDS executive director Bashir Suleymanli and Volunteers International Cooperation Public Union chairman Elnur Mammadov have been referred to Baku Court on Grave Crimes. The case is to be heard in mid-April.
Background: Anar Mammadli was detained on 16 December 2013, on charges of running business without registration, tax evasion and abuse of office by influencing election results. The court ordered him to serve three months of pretrial detention. Investigation of the case is conducted by the Serious Crimes Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office. On 6 March 2014, Mammadli’s pretrial detention term was extended by three months. On 19 March, Mammadli, Suleymanli and Mammadov faced addition 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.