30 October 2016, 01:38
Fuad Akhmedli visited by his relatives at SIZO for first time since his arrest
For the first time since more than two-month detention in custody, Fuad Akhmedli, the leader of the Khatai branch of the Youth Committee of the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), is allowed to be visited by his family members at the Baku SIZO-1 (pre-trial prison). The defence claims unfounded detention of the young man in custody and inconsistency of the charges filed against him.
On August 18, Fuad Akhmedli, the head of the Khatai branch of the PFPA's Youth Committee, was detained and charged with distributing of personal information of subscribers of the mobile company, where he worked. After the merger of his case with the case of Faig Amirov, another PFPA activist, investigators suspected Akhmedli of supporting the Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who was accused in Turkey of a putsch attempt.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 5, the advocate and the father of Fuad Akhmedli claimed that with no apparent reasons, warders of the SIZO refused to allow the detainee to be visited by his family members and to communicate with them by phone. On September 13, it became known that investigator banned Fuad Akhmedli from meetings and telephone conversations. The defence has treated the ban as unjustified.
On October 28, Fuad Akhmedli was allowed to be visited by his family members at the Baku SIZO-1. It was his first meeting with his family members after his detention on August 18. This was reported on October 29 to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Asabali Mustafaev, the advocate of the activist.
According to the advocate, after his statements in the media about violations of the Fuad Akhmedli's rights and appeals with official complaints to the General Prosecutor's Office, the investigating agency lifted the ban on meetings and telephone conversations for the detainee with members of his family.
Asabali Mustafaev has also noted that the defence is engaged in preparation of a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in connection with the "illegal arrest" of Fuad Akhmedli.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
Author: Faik Medzhid Source: CK correspondent