At a trial in the Ganja Court for Serious Crimes on March 29, the prosecutor proposed to recognize a member of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Shahin Hajiyev guilty of a large-scale drug trafficking and sentence him to 7.5 years in prison, a lawyer Zabil Gahramanov told Turan.
According to him, Hajiyev does not plead guilty.
“Shahin Hajiyev stated that he signed the protocols of the initial interrogation after being detained under confession, unable to withstand the torture. After the arrest, no narcological examination was carried out. A falsified expert opinion dated November 29, 2021 was attached to the case. In the forensic narcological examination, it was written that Hajiyev was suffering from drug addiction, as a result of heroin abuse. However, in fact, there was no examination. Shahin Hajiyev does not even use cigarettes and alcoholic drugs,” the lawyer said.
He noted that the next trial is scheduled for March 31. The defense will ask the court to acquit Hajiyev.
The organization “Line of Defense” monitored the trial. Its executive director, Rufat Safarov, believes that during the trial, the activist’s guilt was not proven.
According to Safarov, the trial was far from the law. “It was more like using a punitive mechanism to punish a person for oppositional views and activities. The investigation was not complete, comprehensive and objective,” Safarov said.
He drew attention to the fact that earlier Hajiyev was subjected to administrative arrests for political activities. Note that Hajiyev worked as a chess coach.
Hajiyev was detained on November 26, 2021 and the police charged him under the Article 234.4.3 (large-scale drug trafficking) of the Criminal Code. The PFPA said that the activist is being persecuted for political reasons.
Human rights activists recognized Hajiyev as a political prisoner.