Rights defenders treat ban on Yagublu's leaving the country as politically motivated

The court in Baku refused to allow Tofig Yagublu, an oppositionist, to travel to Georgia to take part in his mother's funeral. His defence intends to appeal against the ban.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in September 2020, Tofig Yagublu, a member of the coordination centre of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF), was sentenced to four years and three months in prison under the case of a road accident and attack on a married couple. On July 12, he was forbidden to fly from Azerbaijan to Georgia for his mother's funeral. On July 15, the appellate court sentenced him to a 2.5-year conditional imprisonment.

The legislation allows, in special cases, to travel abroad for a person serving a conditional sentence, said Yalchin Imanov, a former member of the Azerbaijani Bar Association. According to his version, in oppositionists' cases "courts make decisions in accordance with instructions received from authorities."

The court judgement is politically motivated, said Elshan Gasanov, the head of the Centre for Monitoring Political Prisoners. "Several years ago, when he was in prison, his daughter died. Under the pressure from public opinion, he was allowed to attend the funeral," he said.

Tezekhan Miralamli, a member of the NGO "Defence Line", has agreed that Yagublu was denied travel abroad for political reasons. "At one time, Khadija Ismayilova was not allowed to say goodbye to her sick mother ... Politician Neimat Panakhly was also not allowed to leave the prison to take part in the funeral," Mr Miralamli has added.