Azerbaijan: Appeal Court rejects bloggers' complaints

On July 20, the Baku Appeal Court continued considering the appeal complaints lodged by bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadjizade, who challenged the decisions of the first instance court about their arrest for 2 months on accusation of hooliganism.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that on July 20 the judicial hearing at the Baku Appeal Court on the activists' complaints started with the challenges of the court staffs moved by advocates because of the refusal of the judges to hold open hearings.

After consultations, the judge rejected the challenge. At about 5 p.m. time (4:00 p.m. Moscow time), Judge Dzhalal Ramazanov made a decision to uphold the verdict of the first instance court in relation to Mr Milli.

"It's an absolutely illegal decision, and we'll directly apply to the ECtHR," said advocate Elton Guliev.

20 minutes later, Mirpasha Guseinov made a similar decision to uphold the verdict of the first instance court in relation to Mr Gadjizade. Advocate Isakhan Ashurov called the decision "illegal and ungrounded." He has noted that contrary to statements of the officials until now Adnan Gadjizade was not provided with medical aid. In this context, on July 22 the Sabail Court will consider a corresponding claim.

Representatives of civil society, foreign embassies and international organizations rallied in front of the building of the Baku Appeal Court. When the verdict was announced, the friends and colleagues of the detainees sung the anthem of Azerbaijan as a sign of protest.

Let us note here that representatives of the OSCE, СЕ and EU, and members of international human rights organizations have repeatedly addressed the authorities of Azerbaijan with a demand to release the bloggers. In the morning on July 20 the issue was raised in the course of the meeting with President Ilham Aliev of the "trio" of the European Union headed by Karl Bild, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

The democratic community of Azerbaijan believes that the young men were arrested for a video clip about the "donkey policy", where Gadjizade in a suit of a donkey holds a press conference before journalists.

"What would you like to do in Azerbaijan?" one of virtual journalists asks the "donkey".

"I'd like to set up an NGOs for defence of donkey's rights," answers Adnan Gadjizade, dressed in a fancy dress of a donkey. "But I read in the press that the authorities are lobbying a law on NGOs in the parliament. Now they discuss it. Therefore, I'll not be able to be engaged in any public work here," the "donkey" answers. "If they trample on donkey's rights here, what's about human rights then?!"

The arrest of the youth activists was condemned by Miklos Harasti, Special Representative of the OSCE on the freedom of mass media. And the Committee in Defence of Civil Society (CDCS) has launched a charitable marathon in support of the arrested bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadjizade. The action started on July 16 and will last till September 15.