The Court of Appeals reversed the previous decision
Lawyer Elchin Sadigov was released from prison. On September 17, the panel of judges chaired by Zaki Babayev of the Baku Court of Appeals issued a decision on this matter.
This panel of judges considered the appeal against the decision issued by the Binagadi District Court on September 10-11 at around four in the morning. In consideration was whether to issue a preventive measure of four months of detention for the investigation period.
Although the trial of Elchin Sadigov’s appeal was previously scheduled for September 15, it did not take place. It was revealed in the court that he was taken to the Investigative Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office, where certain investigative actions are being carried out. After that, the trial was adjourned for one day, the accused lawyer’s defenders also went to the prosecutor’s office.
Because of this, the trial was postponed for a day. On September 16, Elchin Sadigov himself participated in the court. Both he and his lawyers said that the decision to arrest him was groundless. The lawyers stressed that Sadigov is a well-known person in society, has a permanent place of residence, and there is no reason to keep him in prison.
The appellate court also decided that the investigation can continue even without Elchin Sadigov being detained. He was released under house arrest.
Elchin Sadigov, now under house arrest, maintains that his arrest was political. He said that he was punished for his work as a lawyer in the field of human rights protection: “It was both a punishment and an obstacle to my activity as a lawyer – preventing me from sending complaints to the European Court. Both my arrest and my release were political decisions.”
He added that he was hungry since he was arrested: “I said that I ate food the last time I was free. After that, I’ll either be released and eat, or I won’t survive here.”
Elchin Sadigov was in prison since September 10. He is accused of the same criminal case as Avaz Zeynalli, the head of Khural TV.
Avaz Zeynalli is accused of accepting a bribe from the family of Rasim Mammadov, the former head of “Baku Steel Company” LLC (steel plant), who is currently in prison, in order not to spread materials against him. Rasim Mammadov’s lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, was charged with mediation in the bribery process.
None of them plead guilty. Instead, Zeynalli says that he did not receive a bribe, but that he was arrested after being defamed.
The lawyer Elchin Sadigov says that he was arrested for his professional activity. According to him, the real reason for his arrest is his advocacy on behalf of social and political activists, and he is being punished for this activity.
