Today (16 January), Nasimi District Court held a hearing on the lawsuit filed by Democrat newspaper editor-in-chief Mustafa Hajibeyli against Nasimi District Police Department Deputy Chief Suleyman Nemetov.
Judge Elman Ahmadov presided over the hearing.
M. Hajibeyli reported that his lawyer, Nemet Kerimli, filed two motions requesting the judge to interrogate witnesses, but that the representative of the Nasimi District Prosecutor’s office, Musa Hajiyev, said that the witnesses had already confirmed that Mustafa Hajibeyli had been tortured during the initial investigation. Thus, there was no need to interrogate witnesses again, and the motion was not fulfilled because both sides came to an agreement.
The second motion requested the judge to examine the footage recorded by the police station’s observation cameras. The judge granted this motion and scheduled the next hearing for January 23rd at 5:00 pm.
Background
Democrat newspaper editor-in-chief Mustafa Hajibeyli was detained at the Public Chamber’s April 2nd, 2011 protest action in Baku. He was taken to Nasimi district police department where he was physically assaulted by deputy chief Suleyman Nematov. After being released, Hajibeyli appealed to Nasimi District Prosecutor’s office to open a criminal case against those responsible for his torture.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has joined the investigation on the basis of the Nasimi District Prosecutor office’s appeal. M.Hajibeyli believes that an objective investigation is not being undertaken, and has appealed to the courts requesting a criminal case to be opened by Suleyman Nematov.
M. Hajibeyli reported that his lawyer, Nemet Kerimli, filed two motions requesting the judge to interrogate witnesses, but that the representative of the Nasimi District Prosecutor’s office, Musa Hajiyev, said that the witnesses had already confirmed that Mustafa Hajibeyli had been tortured during the initial investigation. Thus, there was no need to interrogate witnesses again, and the motion was not fulfilled because both sides came to an agreement.
The second motion requested the judge to examine the footage recorded by the police station’s observation cameras. The judge granted this motion and scheduled the next hearing for January 23rd at 5:00 pm.
Background
Democrat newspaper editor-in-chief Mustafa Hajibeyli was detained at the Public Chamber’s April 2nd, 2011 protest action in Baku. He was taken to Nasimi district police department where he was physically assaulted by deputy chief Suleyman Nematov. After being released, Hajibeyli appealed to Nasimi District Prosecutor’s office to open a criminal case against those responsible for his torture.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has joined the investigation on the basis of the Nasimi District Prosecutor office’s appeal. M.Hajibeyli believes that an objective investigation is not being undertaken, and has appealed to the courts requesting a criminal case to be opened by Suleyman Nematov.