On May 15th Nasimi District Court, chaired by Judge Etibar Humbetov, extended the pretrial detention period of Yeni Musavat newspaper journalist Tofig Yagublu for three months, journalist’s lawyer Nemat Karimli told the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) on May 16th.
According to the lawyer, the motion for an extension was filed by the public prosecutor, and granted by the judge.
The defense intends to appeal the decision.
Background: Tofig Yagublu was arrested on February 4th 2013, for allegedly attempting to undermine sociopolitical stability in Ismayilli region by calling on local people to resist the police and block the roads, during his visit to the region on January 24. He was eventually sentenced to two months of pretrial detention by Nasimi District Court on charges of “organizing public disorder” (Article 233 of the Criminal Code) and “resisting the representative of authorities or using violence against them” (Article 315 of the Criminal Code). Yagublu’s appeal against the decision was denied by the Baku Appeals Court on February 8. On April 27th one of the previous two charges filed against Yagublu, “organizing public disorder” (Article 233/Criminal Code), was replaced by the charge of “organizing or participating in mass disorders accompanied by violence, looting, arson, destruction of property, application of fire-arms or explosives, or armed resistance against representative of authority” (Article 220.1/Criminal Code). Yagublu is currently held at Baku Investigative Prison.