On January 13, the Baku Main Police Department toughened the charges against the arrested activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. Thus, the Article 221.1.1 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism) was replaced by Article 221.2.2 (hooliganism by resisting a representative of the authorities performing duties of protecting public order). Hajiyev was also charged under the Article 289 (Contempt of Court) of the Criminal Code.
On a new charge, the activist faces a prison sentence of up to 3 years, the lawyer Rovshana Rahimli’s told Turan on Friday after visiting Hajiyev in Baku pre-trial detention center No. 1. According to her, Hajiyev regarded the new accusation as a political order.
“This accusation was unexpected even for us lawyers. Bakhtiyar Hajiyev does not accept the accusation and considers it a political order,” she said, noting that the activist continues his hunger strike.
“He has serious health problems. He lost a lot of weight, his pulse dropped to 56 beats per minute. His body temperature is 35.8 ° C. He is very weak and has a cold,” Rahimli said.
The human rights organization “Protection Line” sharply condemned the toughening of charges against Bakhtiyar Hajiyev. “We regret that the scale of repression is intensifying. The Line of Defense believes that Bakhtiyar Hajiyev is a victim of the hatred of the political authorities,” said Rufat Safarov, executive director of the organization.