Appeals Court Upholds Arrest of PFPA Activists

The Appeals Court in Baku upheld the administrative arrest decisions against Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) activists Farid Guliyev and Valishan Hasanov. The arrest of another activist, Faig Nagiyev, has also been appealed.

It is recalled that PFPA members Farid Guliyev and Valishan Hasanov were detained and administratively arrested on November 6 for "petty hooliganism" and "disobedience to police," respectively, for 30 and 15 days.

On November 12, another PFPA member, Faig Nagiyev, was detained and arrested for 30 days on the same charges.

The party considered these arrests politically motivated and stated that all three oppositionists had recently driven PFPA head Ali Karimli in their cars.

The Baku Appeals Court rejected the appeal against Hasanov's arrest on November 19, the party reported.

Earlier, a few days ago, the Appeals Court upheld the arrest of Farid Guliyev, who was sentenced to 30 days.

"The consideration of the appeals was formal. There were not even formal 'witnesses' among the police officers in the case. Our activists were arrested only on the basis of protocols drawn up by precinct police inspectors. They were detained in places other than those indicated in the protocols. The lawyer insisted on reviewing surveillance camera footage from the detention locations specified in the protocols, but the judges did not satisfy these motions," the PFPA said.

Nagiyev's arrest will also be appealed, the party added.